Showdown Hold'em table

K-2 offsuit is below the recommended preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Bottom pair is vulnerable, but the king kicker and club blocker give this hand enough strength to raise on the flop rather than wait for the river.

Any ace is a profitable preflop 4x raise under the published strategy, including A6 offsuit.

Nine-four offsuit is well outside the profitable preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

Nine-high has no pair and only a remote runner-runner straight possibility on this flop. Checking preserves the option to make a cheaper decision on the river.

With only a pair of threes and a nine kicker, too few dealer holdings lose to this hand. Calling is unlikely to recover the additional play bet.

J8 offsuit is below the recommended preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

J-8 has an open-ended straight draw: a seven or queen completes it. The draw and additional ways to improve make a 2x raise preferable to waiting for the river.

T2 suited is below the recommended preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

Ten-deuce has no pair or immediate flush or straight draw on this flop. Checking preserves the option to decide with more information on the river.

My pair of jacks has only a ten kicker. The dealer can beat it with many higher kickers or a second pair, so a river raise is unlikely to recover its cost.

Pocket fives are in the recommended preflop 4x-raise range. Raising now captures their value rather than waiting for the flop.

K9 offsuit is strong enough for the recommended preflop 4x raise, which offers better expected value than waiting.

T4 offsuit is outside the profitable preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

Middle pair is strong enough against a random dealer hand to raise on the flop, despite the weak kicker and club draw on the board.

J7 suited falls below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

J-high has no pair or immediate draw on this ace-high flop. Checking avoids committing a 2x play bet and preserves the option to reassess on the river.

Two pair, jacks and sixes, beats many dealer holdings on this board. Raising is better than forfeiting the ante and blind.

9-8 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

Nine-high has no made hand or immediate draw on this ace-high flop. Checking avoids committing a 2x raise and preserves the option to decide on the river.

With only ace-high, I lose to any dealer pair or better, and many unpaired hands also beat me. Calling is not worth the additional bet.

2-3 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

I have a pair on the flop. Raising now takes advantage of it while leaving only two community cards to come.

T8 offsuit is outside the recommended preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

The 9 or K completes a straight, giving me eight immediate straight outs. That strong draw makes the 2x raise worthwhile.

Any ace, including A-2 offsuit, is a profitable preflop 4x raise under the published strategy.

T9 offsuit is outside the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

With no pair or direct draw on this king-high flop, a 2x raise is too weak. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold on the river.

A pair of tens beats many possible dealer holdings on this unpaired board. Raising has better expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

Q6 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

Queen-six has no pair or immediate draw on this king-high flop. Checking avoids committing a 2x raise with a weak hand.

Queen-high beats many unpaired dealer hands on this board. The chance of winning or facing a nonqualifying dealer makes the 1x raise preferable to folding.

Ace-jack offsuit is strong enough for the optimal preflop 4x raise.

J8 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

Jack-high has no club and no immediate straight draw on this three-club flop. Checking preserves the option to fold on the river rather than committing a 2x raise now.

With no club on a four-club board and only ace-high, I lose to any dealer flush or pair. The chance of winning is too small to justify the river bet.

K4 suited is in the recommended preflop 4x range; raising now captures its equity rather than waiting for the flop.

J6 offsuit is outside the recommended preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to reassess on the flop.

Top pair on the flop is strong enough to raise against a random dealer hand. Checking would give up value while allowing overcards to improve.

K-Q offsuit is strong enough for the recommended preflop 4x raise.

6-2 offsuit is too weak for a preflop raise. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

With 6-2 on a K-J-3 rainbow flop, I have no pair and very few strong draws. Checking avoids committing a 2x raise with a weak hand.

I have only ace-high on a board where most dealer holdings make a pair or a better kicker. Calling is unlikely to recover the additional play bet.

K-T offsuit is strong enough to raise 4x preflop under the optimal starting-hand guideline.

QTo is within the recommended preflop 4x range for offsuit queens (Q8o or better).

Pocket sixes are in the recommended preflop 4x raising range.

4-3 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

With only 4-high and 3-high hole cards on a king-queen flop, raising 2x is unlikely to be profitable. Checking preserves the option to fold on the river.

My two pair beats the dealer's many unpaired holdings. Raising has better expected value than folding.

K-2 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or river.

King-high with a gutshot to Broadway is not strong enough to commit a 2x raise on this ace-high flop. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold on the river.

King kicker wins against many dealer hands that miss the board. Calling costs one more ante and has better expected value than folding.

Nine-deuce suited is below the recommended preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or make a smaller river decision.

Middle pair is strong enough against a random dealer hand to justify the flop raise, despite the connected, two-diamond board.

8-6 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

Middle pair is strong enough to raise on this flop against a random dealer hand, despite the modest kicker.

Five-four offsuit is too weak for a preflop raise. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

With 5-4 on a T-7-7 flop, I have only the board pair and weak improvement prospects. Checking preserves the option to fold on the river.

My hole cards do not improve the board's three sevens, so I can only tie or lose at showdown. The chance of losing makes the 1x raise worse than folding.