Showdown Hold'em table

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

Bottom pair with a king kicker is strong enough to raise on the flop against a random dealer hand. Checking would give up the chance to make the larger play bet when this hand is ahead.

Any ace is in the optimal preflop 4x range; A6 offsuit has enough equity to raise now rather than wait.

Nine-four offsuit is below the profitable preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

Nine-high on this flop has no pair or immediate straight or flush draw. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river rather than committing a 2x raise now.

My pair of threes with a nine kicker loses to most dealer holdings on this board. The chance of winning is too small to justify the additional play bet.

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

J-8 has an open-ended straight draw on A-T-9: a queen or seven completes it. That strong draw makes the 2x flop raise preferable to waiting for the river.

T2 suited is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

Ten-high has no pair or immediate straight or flush draw on this flop. Checking avoids a 2x commitment and preserves the option to decide on the river.

The board gives me a pair of jacks, and my ten kicker beats many dealer holdings. Raising has better expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

Pocket fives are in the recommended preflop 4x-raise range (33+). Raising now captures their equity against the dealer.

K9 offsuit is in the published optimal preflop 4x raising range.

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 on the flop is strong enough against a random dealer hand to raise now rather than wait for a river decision.

J7 suited falls below the recommended preflop 4x 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 raise and preserves the option to decide on the river.

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

9-8 offsuit is outside the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

Nine-eight has no pair or immediate draw on this ace-high flop. Checking preserves the option to decide after seeing the remaining cards.

With only ace-high on an A-K-T board, the 9 and 8 kickers beat too few dealer holdings to justify the river bet.

2-3 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise; checking preserves the option to evaluate the flop.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker is not strong enough to commit a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to decide after seeing the full board.

My pair of twos is weak, but it should beat enough unpaired dealer hands to make the 1x raise better than forfeiting the ante and blind.

T8 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

The nine or king gives me a straight, but I have no made hand on an ace-high flop. Checking preserves the option to fold on the river if the draw misses.

My ten completes an ace-high straight. Raising has strong value, though a dealer flush can beat it.

Any ace is a preflop 4x raise under the optimal strategy; A-2 offsuit still has enough equity against a random dealer hand.

T9 offsuit falls below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

Ten-nine has no pair or immediate straight or flush draw on this flop. Checking preserves the option to decide after seeing the full board.

A pair of tens beats dealer high-card hands and many lower pairs. 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 on a favorable flop.

Q-high has no pair and only a remote runner-runner straight draw on this flop. Checking preserves the option to decide with more information on the river.

Queen-high can beat many unpaired dealer holdings. Raising has better expected value than folding because it wins the play bet when ahead, while losses to a nonqualifying dealer cost no more than a fold.

Ace-jack offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x-raise range; raising now captures value from its strong equity against a random dealer hand.

J8 offsuit is below the recommended preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

Jack-eight has no pair or club on a three-club flop, so I’ll wait for the river rather than commit a 2x raise.

J-high improves the board’s ace-high hand, so it can beat many dealer holdings without a club or pair. Calling the final 10-chip bet has better expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

K4 suited is in the recommended preflop 4x range. Raising now captures its value rather than waiting for the flop.

J6 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Middle pair with a jack kicker is strong enough to raise on the flop, despite the connected board and heart draw.

King-queen offsuit is within the recommended preflop 4x raising range.

Offsuit 6-2 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 or meaningful draw. Checking preserves the option to decide after seeing the full board.

King-ten offsuit is in the recommended preflop 4x raising range (K5 offsuit or better).

Q-T offsuit is in the recommended preflop 4x raising range (Q8 offsuit or better).

Pocket sixes are within the recommended preflop 4x range. Raising now captures their advantage over random dealer holdings.

4-3 offsuit is below the profitable preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

With 4-3 offsuit on a K-Q-5 flop, I have no pair and only weak runner-runner draws. Checking preserves the option to decide after seeing the full board.

My two pair, fives and fours, beats enough of the dealer's possible holdings to make the river raise better than folding.

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

K-2 has only a gutshot to the nut straight and no made pair. Checking keeps the option to decide on the river rather than committing a 2x raise now.

Ace-king high can beat many dealer holdings that miss this board. The chance of winning makes the final raise preferable to folding.

Nine-deuce suited is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

Middle pair is strong enough to raise on the flop rather than risk reaching the river without a play bet.

8-6 offsuit is below 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 to raise on the flop, with backdoor flush and straight possibilities adding value.

5-4 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

With 5-4 on a T-7-7 flop, I have only a weak hand and no immediate draw. Checking avoids committing a 2x raise before seeing the rest of the board.

My hole cards do not improve the board’s three sevens. I can only tie or lose, and too many dealer holdings beat the board for a 1x raise to be worthwhile.

Pocket fours meet the preflop 4x raising threshold; raising now captures their value before the board develops.