Hold'em table

Q8o on the button in 3-handed play is a standard open-raise; a 2.5bb raise pressures both blinds.

A3 offsuit has useful ace-high equity and is worth defending from the small blind against a button raise at this price. Calling keeps the pot manageable while avoiding an unnecessarily weak out-of-position 3-bet.}

6-2 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a raise and a call. The favorable immediate pot odds do not make up for its weak postflop prospects.

With top pair but a weak kicker on a coordinated, two-club flop, checking keeps the pot manageable and lets the preflop raiser act.

Second pair with a weak kicker on an A-high two-tone board plays best as a pot-control check back in position. It still has showdown value, and betting mostly gets called by better hands.

The turn completes a possible flush and introduces straight draws, making my two pair vulnerable. With no bet to call and the flop checked through, checking keeps the pot controlled.

Middle pair with no club on a three-flush board with an ace has decent showdown value but gets little value from worse hands and is vulnerable to check-raises, so I'll check behind to control the pot.

I have two pair, but the four-club board makes a flush very plausible, and betting is unlikely to get called by many worse hands. I’ll take the showdown rather than risk a raise.

Second pair on a four-club board with a wheel possible has some showdown value but can't bet for value, since only clubs, straights, and aces are likely to call. Checking back takes the free showdown.

T3 offsuit is too weak to open or limp profitably from the button against both blinds. Fold rather than invest a blind with a dominated hand.

A-Q offsuit is a strong hand heads-up against the big blind. Raising to 350 builds the pot and puts pressure on a wide defending range.

Getting about 2.8:1 in position against a wide small-blind raising range, 75o has enough equity and playability to defend by calling.

This low, connected flop favors the big blind's calling range. With ace-queen high and no immediate draw, I prefer to check rather than build the pot out of position.

Middle pair with a gutshot on a connected board after the preflop raiser checked; a half-pot bet takes value, denies equity to overcards, and still leaves room to improve. If called, any 8 gives us the straight.

The small flop bet gives a reasonable price with two overcards, and ace-high may already beat some of the big blind's betting range.

Top pair with an ace kicker is strong heads-up, and a turn bet gets value from weaker queens and draws while charging them to continue.

The lead is small at about 39% of the pot, so calling needs roughly 22% equity. Bottom pair plus a gutshot to the 8, with some implied odds, is close enough to justify a call.

Top pair with an ace kicker is likely ahead of many hands that called the turn. A modest river bet can get value from weaker queens and nines without risking too much against trips or a straight.

The price is good: I need about 21% equity. My fives-and-sixes beats missed heart draws, air and small pocket pairs, and the small river bet makes a bluff plausible.

A3 suited is a strong enough button open in three-handed play, and raising gives me initiative while keeping the pot manageable.

Q9o from the small blind against a button open is too weak to call out of position with the big blind still to act. It's only a marginal 3-bet candidate, so folding is the disciplined choice.

Calling is worthwhile at the favorable price with a connected hand, and the small blind has folded, leaving a heads-up pot.

I have middle pair with a weak kicker on an ace-high flop. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets the preflop raiser act.

A small continuation bet gets value from weaker pairs on this dry flop while keeping the pot manageable with a weak ace.

A small flop bet on this dry board gives favorable pot odds, and my pair of nines can still be ahead of bluffs or weaker pairs. Call rather than raise with a weak kicker and a board containing an ace.

I have a weak middle pair on an ace-high board, so checking keeps the pot controlled and avoids building it against stronger hands.

Top pair can get value from queens, nines, and draws in the big blind’s range. A moderate bet also protects against free river cards without building an oversized pot with a weak kicker.

A weak pair of nines with a seven kicker is unlikely to be good after the turn overcard and the preflop raiser’s continued bet. Folding avoids paying 400 into a range weighted toward stronger pairs and better made hands.

K2 offsuit on the button 3-handed is a reasonable steal hand; a small open pressures both blinds.

Pocket eights are strong enough to continue against a button open, but calling keeps weaker hands in and avoids bloating an out-of-position pot with the big blind still to act.

Calling 150 closes the action at a favorable price. A2 offsuit is too weak to squeeze, but it has enough equity to see a flop.

With 88 on a Q-J-high flop against two opponents, my hand is a modest showdown candidate but unlikely to benefit from betting. I’ll check and keep the pot small.

Ace-high has little immediate equity on this three-way flop, so I’ll check and avoid building the pot.

K-high with no real draw on a QJ3 board that connects well with both blinds' calling ranges; betting into two opponents has little fold equity, so I'll take the free card.

With 88 on a paired J turn, my hand is a modest showdown hand but is unlikely to get value from worse hands across two opponents. I’ll take the free card and keep the pot small.

Ace-high has some showdown value, but betting into two opponents on this paired board is unlikely to get enough better hands to fold.

Both opponents have checked the flop and turn, which signals weakness, and my king-high has little showdown value in a three-way pot. A small stab from the button can take the pot down often.

With 88, the paired jack and queen on board leave me behind most value bets, and the big blind still has to act. I fold rather than pay into a multiway pot with a weak bluff-catcher.

Ace-high has limited equity against a turn bet into two opponents, and calling out of position would leave a difficult river decision.

T9 suited is a strong button hand three-handed, and raising takes advantage of position while applying pressure to the blinds.

Five-deuce suited is too weak to defend the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

K9o in the big blind facing a 2.5x button open in 3-handed play is a clear defend: we need about 27% equity (150 to win 550) and K9o does well against a wide button range. Calling keeps the pot small and dominated hands in the opener's range.

K9 with a backdoor flush draw on a paired board plays best as a check to the preflop raiser, keeping the pot small out of position and letting him continuation-bet; I can defend against a small bet.

A small flop bet can fold out unpaired hands while giving me a chance to improve with the gutshot and backdoor heart draw. The paired, low board makes a large bet unnecessary.

The small c-bet only requires about 20% equity. King-high with a backdoor flush draw and a backdoor straight draw has enough equity and playability against a wide button range to call rather than fold.

We have K-high with a weak 9-high flush draw on a paired board where the Ac helps the preflop raiser's range. Checking takes a cheap card and keeps the pot controlled.

The ace is a favorable card for my preflop-raising range, so a moderate turn bet can pressure the opponent’s medium-strength flop calls. I also have a gutshot to a straight if called.

I have a club flush draw with nine outs against a small bet: 400 to win 1710 needs about 23% equity. With implied odds and a little showdown value from king-high, calling is profitable.

King high with a missed draw rarely wins against a button range that bet the Ace turn, and much of that range is Ax that won't fold to a lead. Checking lets me win at showdown when the button checks back missed straight draws, and I'll give up if they bet.

I have only T-high, so checking is unlikely to win at showdown. A substantial river bet credibly represents the ace or a strong made hand after my flop and turn aggression, and can fold out weaker pairs.

King-high with no pair has almost no showdown value against a three-street bettor on this paired board with the flush completed. A bluff-raise after check-calling is not credible, so folding is best.

J-T suited is a strong button opening hand with good postflop playability. A 2.5 big blind raise can win the blinds or build a pot in position.

Q2o from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still left to act, is a clear fold; the hand is dominated and would play out of position.

K2 offsuit is weak, but the button’s 2.5x raise is likely wide and the price is favorable for a big-blind defend.

I have top two pair on a relatively dry flop and should build the pot while charging hands with a king or a draw. A 350-chip bet is a solid value size into 550.

J-high has no immediate draw on this dry K-high flop. Calling the sizable bet is unlikely to be profitable.