Hold'em table

As the button in a three-handed game, a small open can win the blinds immediately and keeps the risk modest. 8-4 offsuit is weak, so I’m using a small raise rather than building a larger pot.

K2 offsuit is far too weak to defend against a 2.5x raise out of position with the big blind still behind, and dominated king hands will cost money postflop. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

76 offsuit lacks playability out of position against a 2.5bb button open, making it a clear fold.

2-5 offsuit is one of the weakest hands and I'm out of position postflop against two players; folding the button trash is standard.

In a blind-versus-blind situation after the button folds, Q9o has solid equity and plays well with the initiative, making an open-raise standard.

T8 offsuit has enough equity and playability to defend the big blind against the small blind’s raise at these pot odds. I’ll avoid bloating the pot with a marginal hand.

We hold top pair and a gutshot straight draw as the preflop aggressor out of position, betting for value and protection on a connected board.

The small bet gives favorable pot odds, and my pair of eights plus a gutshot straight draw has enough potential to continue. Raising would risk too much with a marginal hand.

I have top pair with a gutshot straight draw, but my kicker is mediocre and opponent called on a wet flop; checking allows for pot control and equity realization.

My pair of eights is weak on this board, and the opponent checked the turn. I’ll take the free card and avoid building a pot with a marginal hand.

We have top pair with a weak kicker on a board with three spades and multiple straight possibilities; checking to control the pot and realize our showdown value.

My pair of eights has some showdown value, but the three-spade river makes a value bet risky and is unlikely to get called by many worse hands. I’ll take the free showdown.

Open-raising standard min-raise from the button with an Ace blocker in 3-handed play.

A7 offsuit has enough equity to defend against a small button raise at this price, but calling avoids inflating the pot out of position with a dominated hand.

J4 offsuit is far too weak to defend against a button raise plus a cold-call with 100bb stacks; folding loses only the 100 already posted and avoids playing a dominated, hard-to-play hand out of position.

I have top two pair on a draw-heavy flop, so I’m betting for value and to charge diamond draws and overcards. A 300-chip bet is a substantial but controlled size into the 500-chip pot.

We have top pair with an Ace on a Q-high flop plus the nut diamond blocker/backdoor. Calling in position is standard against a lead.

Bet for value and protection with top two pair, targeting calls from weaker aces, queens, and draws while charging hands with diamond or straight potential.

Holding top pair in position with favorable pot odds against a wide 3-handed range warrants a call on the turn.

I have two pair and can get value from weaker aces or queens after the turn call. A modest river bet also limits losses against stronger two-pair hands.

I hold top pair on a brick river runout. Facing a small bet of 700 into a 2300 pot, I am getting better than 4-to-1 pot odds, which is sufficient to call against potential missed draws or weaker aces.

8-2 offsuit is too weak to continue from the button, even in a three-handed game, and calling would put in another 100 chips with poor playability.

Button folded, making this a heads-up pot vs the big blind where K5o has solid equity. A standard 3x raise builds the pot with position and applies fold equity.

Q5o is too weak to defend against a 3x open from the small blind.

Nine-six offsuit is far too weak to play even from the button against two blinds; folding preserves chips for better spots.

In a blind-versus-blind situation after the button folded, J7s is strong enough to open-raise for value and initiative.

K♦5♦ is suited and has enough equity to defend the big blind against the small blind’s raise; calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

We missed the flop completely with J-high out of position, so checking to see how the opponent reacts is prudent.

Bet 400 into the 600-chip pot as a semi-bluff: I have a strong diamond draw and can also fold out some hands that currently beat my king-high. abackward

I completely missed the flop with Jack-high and have no meaningful equity or draw against the opponent's bet.

Opening from the button with suited queen high is standard in 3-handed play.

QTo is marginal, but the button's small 2bb raise gives me a cheap price (100 into 350) and decent equity heads-up, so defending my big blind with a call is better than folding.

I flopped top pair with a decent kicker heads-up against the preflop raiser; betting ~2/3 pot builds the pot for value and charges any club flush draw.

We flopped top pair on a relatively dry board and have position against the big blind's lead, making a call standard.

I only hold one pair of queens with a king on the board and a club draw present, so checking keeps the pot small out of position against the preflop raiser rather than building a pot where I'm rarely ahead.

I have second pair with a weak kicker on a king turn, so checking back controls the pot and realizes showdown value.

My pair of queens only beats missed hands or lower pocket pairs, which will fold if I bet, while any ace, king, or queen in seat_3's preflop-raising range beats me. Checking is the maximal-value line since a bet folds out worse and only gets called by better.

I have third pair on an ace-high board with showdown value against missed draws; betting won't get called by worse hands, so checking back is optimal.