Hold'em table

Q8 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A 2.5-big-blind raise puts pressure on the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

A3o plays poorly out of position against a button open, making an easy fold preflop from the small blind.

6-2 offsuit is the weakest starting hand, and calling 150 more out of position against a button raise to 250 has negative expected value, so I fold and give up the 100 big blind.

Ten-three offsuit is too weak to open from the button even in a 3-handed game, so folding is the standard play.

Ace-queen offsuit is a strong hand heads-up against the big blind, so I raise to 3bb from the small blind for value and to take the initiative.

The small blind can raise a wide range after the button folds. With position and favorable pot odds, calling with 7-5 offsuit is reasonable.

Ace-high with a backdoor nut flush draw and two overcards on a connected 6-5-9 board. Heads-up out of position, a small bet of about 2/3 pot takes the initiative and charges draws. I'm not committing to a large pot with an unimproved hand.</br>

Bottom pair and a gutshot give me enough equity to call this flop bet against a small-blind opening range.

I hold top pair with the nut ace kicker on a draw-heavy board (6h 5s 9d Qh). Betting about 43% of the pot gets value from worse queens and charges draws, so I bet rather than check.

The small turn bet gives me a reasonable price with a pair and a gutshot straight draw. I can reassess if faced with a river bet.

Board 6h 5s 9d Qh 6s; I hold top pair with an ace kicker, which is likely best against a passive caller who only called down. A value bet of about 35% of the pot should get paid by worse queens and nines, and sizing it moderately keeps weaker pairs in.

The small river bet gives me a low price to call. My pair of fives can still beat missed draws and bluffs, though I lose to most value hands.

A3s on the button in a 3-handed game is a strong enough hand to open. Raising to 3bb applies pressure on both blinds and gives position.

Q9 offsuit is marginal against a 3x button raise, especially from the small blind with the big blind still to act.

97o is too weak to defend out of position against a 3x open from the button.

K2 offsuit is playable as a button open three-handed, especially with no rake. A modest raise takes advantage of position without investing too much.

Pocket eights are well ahead of a standard 3-handed button opening range; 3-betting builds the pot and denies equity out of position.

A2o out of position facing a button open and a large small-blind 3-bet is a clear fold, since calling 850 more with a weak dominated ace is unprofitable against two players' ranges.

K2 offsuit is too weak to continue against a sizable preflop three-bet, even with position.

Opening T9s on the button to 2.5bb as a standard value and playability open in 3-handed play.

5-2 suited is a weak hand out of position against a button raise with the big blind still to act behind me. Calling 200 more is not worth it, so I fold.

K9 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button raise at this price, but is not strong enough to reraise.

With king-high on a paired flop, checking out of position keeps the pot manageable and lets me assess the button's action.

C-betting roughly one-third pot on a paired board with a gutshot straight draw, backdoor flush draw, and two overcards.

The small flop bet offers good pot odds. King-high has some showdown value, and the hand can improve on later streets.

The turn gives me a weak flush draw, but I have no made hand. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me assess the opponent’s bet.

The turn brings an ace and completes the flush, heavily hitting the caller's defending range; checking behind to control the pot size with gutshot equity.

King-high has some showdown value against missed draws, and a river bluff is unlikely to fold out enough pairs to be worthwhile.

With only ten-high and no showdown value, checking almost certainly loses to missed broadway club draws and weak pairs. Betting roughly two-thirds pot targets folds from those better high cards and weak holdings.

King-high beats only bluffs, and the river bet is large enough that calling needs more bluffing than this line suggests.

Jc Tc is a strong suited connected hand in a 3-handed game, and raising from the button puts pressure on both blinds and gives positional advantage.

Q2 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a button raise, with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more with a weak hand.

K2o is too weak to defend out of position against a button open, despite getting decent pot odds.