Showdown Hold'em table

Offsuit 5-4 is below the profitable preflop raising range; checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

With 5-4 on an A-T-9 rainbow flop, I have no pair or meaningful draw. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river rather than committing a 2x raise now.

My hole cards leave me with only the board’s pair of nines and a five kicker. Almost every dealer holding beats that, so the 1x raise is worse than folding.

7♣4♣ is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

The flush draw is promising, but my seven-high hand is weak when it misses. Checking preserves the option to fold on the river rather than committing a 2x play bet now.

My pair of fours beats dealer high-card hands and some lower pairs. The chance of winning makes the 1x raise preferable to folding.

Offsuit 5-3 is below the profitable preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

With no pair and only a gutshot straight draw, this hand is too weak to commit a 2x raise on the flop. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

My 3 and 5 make a seven-high straight with the board. It beats the dealer's likely hands and earns a blind payout when it wins.

Q-2 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

Queen-high has no pair or strong draw on this ace-high flop. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river rather than committing a 2x raise now.

My queen kicker beats enough dealer hands on this paired board that a 1x raise is better than forfeiting the ante and blind.

Pocket sevens are in the recommended preflop 4x range (33+).

8-4 offsuit is outside the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

Eight-high has no pair or immediate straight or flush draw on this flop. Checking avoids committing a 2x raise with a weak hand and preserves the river decision.

I have only eight-high on the river, so too few dealer holdings lose to me. Calling is worth less than folding.

Eight-deuce suited is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

The flush draw and gutshot straight draw give this hand strong potential to improve, making the flop raise worthwhile.

Ace-king suited is well within the optimal preflop 4x raising range and has strong showdown and premium-hand potential.

Any ace is in the published optimal preflop 4x range; A-3 offsuit is strong enough to raise now.

8-4 offsuit is too weak to raise preflop. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

I have a pair using a hole card on a low flop, and raising now captures value against the dealer’s many unpaired hands.

Nine-six offsuit is outside the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

I have a pair of sixes on a rainbow flop. Although it is bottom pair, it has enough showdown potential against a random dealer hand to make the 2x raise worthwhile.

K7 suited is in the recommended preflop 4x range; raising now captures its value rather than waiting for the flop.

Any ace is a recommended preflop 4x raise, and the suited deuce adds flush potential.

9-3 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or river.

Nine-high has no pair and only remote straight and flush possibilities on this flop. Checking preserves the option to decide after seeing the full board.

My two pair, nines and threes, is ahead of many possible dealer hands. Raising has better expected value than folding.

Ace-king offsuit is comfortably within the optimal preflop 4x raising range.

J-3 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

J-high on a K-Q-6 rainbow flop has no pair or strong draw. Checking avoids committing a 2x raise with weak prospects.

My two pair, queens and jacks, beats many dealer holdings. With only one ante-sized play bet left to risk, raising is better than forfeiting the ante and blind.

Q6 suited is in the published optimal preflop 4x raising range.

Nine-eight offsuit is outside the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

The open-ended straight draw has eight immediate outs, and a nine or eight could also improve the hand. That makes raising 2x preferable to waiting for the river.

8-7 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Middle pair with an open-ended straight draw has strong equity on this flop, making the 2x raise preferable to waiting.

8♣4♥ is an offsuit low-card hand outside the profitable preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves it.

With only eight-high and a gutshot straight draw on a king-high flop, raising 2x is too costly. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

A pair of eights has enough showdown value to justify the river bet rather than forfeiting the ante and blind.

T8 offsuit falls below the recommended preflop raising range, so checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

With T-8 on an A-Q-Q flop, I have no strong draw and am often behind a dealer holding an ace, queen, or higher kicker. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

Three queens on the board make my ten kicker playable. Even though many dealer hands beat it, raising has better expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

Any ace is in the optimal preflop 4x range, and A-8 offsuit has enough showdown strength to raise now.

J3 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Middle pair on this flop is strong enough to raise for value rather than wait until the river.

J-6 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

Jack-high on this rainbow flop has no pair or immediate draw. Checking preserves the option to make a smaller decision on the river.

A pair of sixes is strong enough to continue here. Raising risks 10 more chips rather than forfeiting the ante and blind by folding.

An offsuit 3-2 is well below the profitable preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

With 3-high hole cards and no pair or immediate draw on an ace-high flop, a 2x raise is unlikely to be profitable. Checking preserves the option to fold on the river.

My hole cards cannot improve the board, so I can only tie or lose at showdown. Raising has no upside; folding avoids risking another 10 chips.

7-3 offsuit is outside the profitable preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

Seven-high with no pair or immediate draw is too weak to justify a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

My pair of fours has only a seven kicker, so very few dealer holdings lose to it. Raising is worse than folding.

K-Q offsuit is strong enough to raise 4x preflop under the published optimal strategy.

Any ace is a preflop 4x raise under the published optimal strategy; A-2 offsuit qualifies.

K5 offsuit meets the optimal preflop 4x threshold of K5o or better.

T5 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

Ten-high has no pair or strong draw on this flop. Checking preserves the option to decide after seeing the full board.

With only king-high and a ten kicker, too few dealer holdings lose to this hand to justify the river bet.