Hold'em table

Suited ace on the button in a 3-handed game is well ahead of blind ranges, so I raise to apply pressure and build value.

Nine-four suited is too weak to call a 2.5 big blind raise from the small blind with the big blind still to act.

KTs is a strong big-blind defense against a button open, with good suited and connected equity. Calling keeps weaker hands in the pot without inflating it out of position.

With two overcards and a backdoor heart draw, checking preserves equity without building a pot out of position. This connected board favors parts of our defending range, but this hand is not strong enough to lead routinely.

In position as preflop raiser with an open-ended straight draw and ace overcard, a semi-bluff c-bet gains fold equity while building the pot for my 8+ outs.

King-high with only overcards and backdoor draws is too weak to continue profitably against this bet out of position. Neither calling nor bluff-raising offers enough value without stronger draws or relevant blockers.

T2 offsuit is too weak to open from the button against two unknown opponents.

K5 suited is a good blind-versus-blind opening hand after the button folds. Raising to 3bb puts pressure on the big blind and builds a pot with reasonable equity when called.

Q3 offsuit is too weak to call a small-blind raise for 200 more, even in position postflop; folding preserves the stack.

AJs is a strong button opening hand three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds builds a pot with a likely equity advantage while pressuring the blinds.

JTs suited has strong equity against a wide button open and good pot odds for 200 more, while a 3-bet would bloat the pot out of position.

Calling 150 closes the action in a 600-chip pot. T8 offsuit has enough potential at this price, though I’ll play cautiously out of position.

With jack-high, no pair or draw on an ace-high flop against two opponents, betting is unlikely to fold out better hands; checking keeps the pot small and preserves backdoor equity for free.

I have ten-high with no immediate draw in a three-way pot, so I’ll check rather than build the pot.

Top pair with a good kicker is worth a value bet after both opponents check. This sizing can get calls from weaker aces and some smaller pairs while denying cheap equity to straight draws.

Jack-high with only weak backdoor draws on an ace-high board has insufficient equity to call 300 out of position with a player still behind, and no good blockers for a bluff raise.

T8 offsuit has no pair or meaningful draw on this flop. Calling the bet is unlikely to be profitable.

J5 offsuit is too weak to call or raise from the button in a 3-handed game, with poor postflop playability and dominated jack potential.

Q7 offsuit is playable heads-up, and a small raise can win the big blind now while keeping the pot manageable.

Nine-four offsuit is too weak to profitably defend against a 2.5bb raise, even with position. With no reads supporting a bluff raise, folding is best.

A9 offsuit is a profitable button open three-handed, and a 2.5-big-blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

54 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a 2.5bb raise, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more chips with poor equity realization out of position.

2-7 offsuit is the weakest starting hand and facing a button raise to 250, calling 150 from the big blind has negative expected value.

Pocket aces are the strongest starting hand. Opening to 2.5 big blinds builds the pot for value while allowing weaker hands to call or reraise.

97 offsuit is too weak to call a button raise out of position with the big blind still behind, and it is not a profitable 3-bet bluff candidate.

J5 offsuit is easily dominated and plays poorly out of position against a 2.5 big-blind open.