Hold'em table

Nine-four offsuit is too weak for a standard button open with both blinds still to act. Folding avoids investing in a hand with poor equity and playability.

Pocket threes are ahead of the big blind's wide range heads-up after the button fold, so raising builds value and takes initiative rather than limping.

Facing a 3bb open from the small blind, K8o has sufficient equity and positional advantage to defend the big blind profitably.

Flopped bottom set on a dry rainbow board; betting for value builds the pot against Jx and pairs while charging any straight draws.

I hold King-high with no draw on a J-6-3 rainbow board facing a two-thirds pot continuation bet, making this a clear fold.

Q6 suited on the button in 3-handed play is well within opening range, with position and suited queen-high equity. Raising applies pressure to the blinds and takes initiative.

83o is a very weak unsuited hand out of position facing a button open, making it an easy fold.

Calling costs 150 to contest a 550-chip pot, making this suited one-gapper a reasonable big-blind defense against a button opening range. Its straight and flush potential supports calling rather than folding or inflating the pot out of position.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker has modest showdown value but cannot comfortably build a pot on this draw-heavy board. Checking to the preflop raiser keeps weaker hands in and lets us assess their bet sizing.

With queen-high, no made hand and only weak backdoor draws on a J-9-5 two-diamond board, checking in position preserves equity and avoids bluffing into a calling range with little fold equity.

Bottom pair has some showdown value but is too weak to value-bet. The king favors the preflop raiser's range, so checking avoids building the pot with a marginal hand.

The King on the turn favors my preflop raising range and opponent has checked twice showing weakness. With Q-high, no showdown value, and a gutshot to the nut straight, a semi-bluff bet can fold pairs and draws.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker and no meaningful draw is a poor bluff-catcher against this sizable turn bet. With only five potential improvement outs and difficult river decisions out of position, calling is unlikely to be profitable.

QJo is a solid opening hand on the button in three-handed play; raising to 2.5bb applies pressure and seizes initiative in position.

64 suited is too weak to profitably defend the small blind against a 2.5bb button raise with the big blind still to act. Poor position and the risk of a squeeze outweigh its speculative potential.

QTo is strong enough to defend the big blind heads-up against a 2.5bb button open, getting good pot odds.

With queen-high, two overcards and only backdoor straight potential on a low connected flop, checking preserves equity cheaply and avoids building a pot out of position.

The 7-6-5 board heavily favors the big blind's calling range, and Q-high with no draw has little equity to bet. Checking behind is standard to see a free turn card.

Opponent checked back a wet flop as preflop raiser, showing weakness. A small turn lead credibly represents the big blind's straight and two-pair range and folds overcards cheaply, with queen-ten overcard outs if called.

I have queen-high with no draw on a heavily coordinated board, making an easy fold facing a turn bet.

KJo is a strong opening hand on the button three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds and builds a pot with positional advantage.

Pocket eights are ahead of a button opening range in three-handed play. Three-betting for value avoids a multiway pot out of position and puts pressure on both opponents.

Holding trash 8s3h facing an open and a 3-bet, an easy fold.

KJo is a marginal offsuit defense against a small-blind three-bet and is often dominated by the value portion of that range. Without evidence of unusually wide three-betting, I prefer folding despite having position.

7-2 offsuit is the weakest starting hand with poor equity and playability even on the button in a 3-handed game, so folding avoids a negative-EV limp.

In a blind-vs-blind situation after the button folds, Q7s is strong enough to open-raise for value and fold equity.

Nine-six offsuit is a marginal defense against a 3bb raise, with weak connectivity and poor showdown value. Without evidence that the small blind opens excessively wide, folding avoids a low-quality call.

Holding A9o on the button in 3-handed play is well ahead of random ranges, making a standard 2.5x open raise profitable.

Ace-king is a strong value three-bet against a button open. Raising to 1,100 compensates for being out of position and discourages the big blind from entering cheaply.

J6 offsuit is weak and dominated against a button open followed by a small blind 3-bet to 1100; calling 1000 from the big blind would be unprofitable.

Facing an 11bb 3-bet from the small blind, A9o is easily dominated and does not play well enough postflop to justify calling 8.5bb more.