Hold'em table

84o is too weak to open even from the button in a 3-handed game.

Pocket fives are strong enough to raise heads-up against the big blind. A 3bb raise can win the pot now while keeping the sizing manageable out of position.

K6o in the big blind getting 2:1 on a call (200 to win 500) against a small blind raise in a 3-handed game, where the raiser's range is wide. Calling is fine and a 3-bet bluff is not needed.

My low pair has some showdown value, but this coordinated flop makes a bet unlikely to get called by many worse hands. Checking keeps the pot manageable.

Heads-up on a dry flop after the SB checked, I have king-high with a backdoor-free hand but a small bet can take the pot often against a checking range; sizing is small to limit risk.

Pocket fives are an underpair on a draw-heavy flop. Facing a substantial bet out of position, I have little chance to improve and may face more bets on later streets.

On the button in a three-handed game, 9-7 offsuit is playable as a small opening raise, using position to offset its modest strength.

A3o is a marginal hand in the small blind facing a button open to 2.5bb with the big blind still to act. Calling 200 more gets decent pot odds and the ace blocks some of the button's strong holdings, though it is at risk of domination. I prefer calling over a 3-bet bluff. ,

93s is too weak to defend out of position in a multiway pot even with favorable pot odds.

Top pair with an ace on a dry board, heads-up and first to act out of position. Betting about 2/3 pot for value and to deny equity to overcards and draws.

Middle pair with a reasonable kicker has enough equity to call the flop bet, especially in position on a dry board.

Two pair (aces and threes) on a turn that made a wheel-ish board; the opponent called the flop, so I bet for value and protection against straight and flush draws, sizing about 2/3 of the pot.

Second pair can still be ahead of draws and weaker pairs in the small blind's range. I'll call the turn bet and reassess on the river.

I have a rivered straight (A-3-4-5-7 with 3c/Ah... actually 3-4-5 plus A gives wheel needs a 2; board 7-5-3-4 with A gives A-3-4-5 without a 2, so no straight). I hold two pair, aces and threes, on a board with three hearts and I hold the Ah, which blocks the nut flush. Betting for value about half pot is reasonable since villain called two streets and may hold weaker aces or draws.

My pair of sevens is unlikely to beat a third barrel on a river that completes both straight and flush draws.

4-6 offsuit is a weak hand; even on the button in a 3-handed game, it plays poorly against two opponents still to act behind the blinds' ranges, so I fold to avoid a marginal spot.

In a blind versus blind situation, A5o has solid high card value and blocker power, making a standard 3x open raise appropriate.

J8 suited is strong enough to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise to 300. Calling preserves its postflop potential without inflating the pot.

C-betting one-third pot on a paired board where I hold range advantage as the preflop raiser.

Trips with a jack kicker is strong on this paired flop. Raising for value charges diamond draws and other weaker hands.

I have only ace-high with minimal backdoor potential after facing a flop raise out of position.

Opening from the button with AJo for standard value and position.

5-4 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a 2.5-big-blind open, especially with the big blind still to act.

QTo in the big blind getting 400-to-150 (about 2.7:1) against a button open of 2.5bb, which is a wide range. The hand has enough equity and playability to defend, and calling is better than folding or bloating the pot out of position.

Top pair with a decent kicker (Q with T, two pair actually: Qh Ts on Qs 5d Tc is two pair, queens and tens) is a strong hand heads-up out of position; bet about 2/3 pot for value and to charge draws.

We hold an overcard Ace and a gutshot straight draw to the nuts on a Q-T-5 rainbow flop, with position to realize equity against the donk bet.

Two pair (queens and tens) on Qs 5d Tc Ks is strong, but the board has flush and straight draws. I bet about two-thirds of the pot for value and to charge draws, since I led the flop and the opponent called.

I have the nut straight with ace-jack on a king-queen-ten board. I raise opponent's bet to build the pot against their strong two pairs, sets, and flush draws.

Two pair (Queens and Tens) on a Q-5-T-K board is strong but vulnerable to a raise from seat_1. Getting about 2.8:1 on the call, and seat_1 could be raising with draws or worse, so calling is safer than reraising and keeps the pot manageable.

Two pair, queens and tens, on a Q-5-T-K-3 board is strong, and I've shown strength with a flop bet, a turn bet, and a call of the turn raise. Villain's turn raise could be a straight (J9, AJ) or a set, so I'm not betting big, but worse hands like a single Q or a T can call. A moderate value bet of about a third of the pot gets paid by worse without over-risking against a raise-heavy range."}

I hold the absolute nut straight on a non-flush board, and the opponent has bet heavily into the pot and is pot-committed.

Calling 5000 to win 15050 needs about 25% equity. Two pair, queens and tens, beats many of the button's value and bluff hands like AK, KJ, QJ and missed draws, so the price is right despite the shove.

T6 offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button against two unknown blinds at this stack depth.

99 is a strong hand heads-up from the small blind against the big blind. Raising for value to 3.5bb builds the pot while I have a range advantage.

Defending the big blind in position against a small blind open with A8o is standard given the pot odds.

Pocket nines on a J-2-J board is a strong overpair-to-the-deuce holding heads-up. I'll bet about 57% of the pot for value and to deny equity to overcards and to any Jx hand that would call.

Facing an over half-pot continuation bet out of position on a paired board with only Ace-high and no backdoors, folding is standard.

Q9s on the button in a 3-handed game is a solid open. A raise to 3bb uses position and fold equity against the blinds.

T7o is far too weak to defend out of position against a button open with the big blind still behind.

KTo is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, and calling keeps the pot manageable with a hand that can be dominated.

I have top pair with a medium kicker, but I'm out of position against the preflop raiser. Checking keeps their weaker hands and bluffs in while avoiding an unnecessarily large pot.

Heads-up in position on a K-8-7 board with a gutshot straight draw (J needed) and a backdoor flush draw, plus two overcards to the 7 and 8. Villain checked, so a small continuation bet of about half pot can take the pot now or build equity when called.

Top pair with a ten kicker is strong enough to continue against a modest button continuation bet. Raising would risk building a large pot against stronger kings while folding would be too tight.

Top pair with a modest kicker has showdown value, but the jack improves some of the button's possible hands. Checking controls the pot and lets me respond to their turn action.

I have a Q-9 open-ended straight draw (needs T for the straight, either 10 or... 10 completes J-Q-K with 9? 9-10-J-Q-K) on a 7-K-8-J board, so a gutshot to the T plus Q pair-ish outs. Villain checked the turn after calling the flop, showing weakness, so a semi-bluff bet of about half pot on the button builds fold equity while keeping a real draw behind it."}

Top pair with a gutshot is strong enough to continue against this turn sizing, but raising would isolate me against stronger hands.

Top pair has showdown value, but the river completes several straights. Checking avoids building a larger pot against stronger hands.

Board 7-K-8-J-6 gives me Q-high straight (9-J... actually 7-8-9? no) — I hold Q9 making a 9-high straight with 7-8-6 plus J? 6-7-8-9 needs 5 or 10; with J, 7-8-9-J lacks 10, so I actually have only Q-high. Villain checked all streets after calling bets, so a bluff is plausible but I have no showdown value; villain's range is capped-ish, so a bet is reasonable.}

Top pair can beat missed draws and thinner value bets. The half-pot river bet gives me sufficient odds to call.