Showdown Hold'em table

Pocket eights fall comfortably within the optimal preflop 4x range (33+). Raising the maximum exploits their advantage against a random dealer hand.

Q4 offsuit falls below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing extra chips now.

Middle pair with a queen kicker is strong enough to raise against a random dealer hand. Betting 2x now gains more value than waiting for the river.

8-3 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to bet after seeing the flop without committing additional chips now.

The flop gives me a pair of threes using a hole card, which favors a 2x raise against a random dealer hand. Despite the weak kicker and two overcards, betting now has better expected value than waiting.

Nine-seven offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing additional chips now.

Bottom pair plus an open-ended straight draw provides both current showdown value and substantial improvement potential. That combination favors raising 2x now rather than waiting for the river.

Jack-ten offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Raising 40 chips maximizes expected value over checking or raising 3x.

K9 offsuit falls within the optimal preflop 4x raising range (K5 offsuit or better). Raising the maximum maximizes expected chips.

Suited 6-4 is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing extra chips now.

With six-high, no pair, and only runner-runner straight possibilities, a 2x raise is not justified. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

My best hand is the board's pair of tens with queen-nine-six kickers, which loses to almost all dealer holdings. Folding loses less on average than adding the 1x play bet.

A6 offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x range, which includes every ace. Raising the maximum maximizes expected value.

A4 offsuit falls within the optimal preflop 4x raising range, which includes every ace. Raising the maximum is preferred to checking or raising 3x.

2-3 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to bet after seeing the flop without committing more chips now.

I have an open-ended straight draw but no made hand, and a six could give the dealer a higher straight. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board without committing an extra two antes now.

My hole cards do not improve the board, and no dealer holding loses to my hand. With only a few possible ties, raising loses more on average than folding.

T5 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing extra chips now.

Ten-high with no pair and only backdoor straight and flush possibilities is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

Your trip nines with T-7 kickers win against 144 of 990 dealer holdings and tie against 45. Raising has an expected net loss of about 21.36 chips, worse than the 20-chip loss from folding.

Suited 6-4 is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing chips now.

Middle pair using a hole card is strong enough to raise on this dry flop. Betting 2x captures value against the dealer’s random holdings rather than waiting for the river.

Eight-two suited is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Check to see the flop before committing a play bet.

With no pair and only backdoor flush and straight possibilities, this hand is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to make a smaller river bet or fold after seeing the full board.

My two pair, sixes and deuces with an ace kicker, beats a majority of possible dealer holdings. Raising 1x has substantially higher expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

A♠6♠ is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range, which includes every ace. Raising the maximum maximizes expected value.

Q7 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of Q8 offsuit. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

The pair is on the board, and Q-7 has neither a made-hand advantage nor a strong draw. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

Two pair, sevens and fives with a queen kicker, beats enough dealer holdings to make calling profitable. The dealer always qualifies on this paired board, and raising has higher expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

J6 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing extra chips now.

Top pair on this dry, unpaired flop is strong against a random dealer holding. Raising 2x captures more value than waiting for the river despite the weak kicker.

Ten-nine offsuit is outside the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Ten-high with two overcards and only a backdoor straight draw is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

My best hand is the board's pair of fours with ten-high kickers, and the dealer always qualifies. Too few dealer holdings lose or tie to make a 1x raise better than folding.

Ace-ten offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Raising the maximum now maximizes expected value.

A2 offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range, which includes every ace. Raise 40 chips to maximize expected value.

A2 offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range, which includes every ace. Raising the maximum maximizes expected value.

K2 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of K5 offsuit. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

I have king-high with an open-ended straight draw, but no made hand and only a backdoor flush draw. Checking preserves the option to fold unfavorable runouts rather than committing a 2x raise now.

The board pair with a king kicker wins against about 27% of possible dealer holdings, exceeding the roughly 20% needed to call. Raising has a better expected return than forfeiting the ante and blind.

9♣4♣ is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing a large bet to a weak hand.

Nine-high with no spade, no pair, and only a runner-runner straight possibility is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to fold or make a smaller river raise after seeing the full board.

Despite the four-spade board, the pair of nines beats enough dealer holdings to justify the final 1x raise. Calling has higher expected value than surrendering the ante and blind.

9♣3♣ is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after improving without committing extra chips to a weak starting hand.

A pair of threes made with a hole card is strong enough to raise against a random dealer hand. Betting 2x now is preferable to waiting for the river.

Q5 suited falls just below the optimal preflop raising threshold of Q6 suited. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

The queen-high flush draw plus an overcard provides enough equity to justify the 2x raise rather than waiting for the river.

Six-five offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing more chips now.

Pairing the five gives me a made pair using a hole card on a rainbow flop. This is strong enough for the 2x flop raise rather than waiting for the river.

4–3 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing additional chips now.

My three pairs the board for middle pair on a dry flop, with additional backdoor straight potential. This is strong enough to favor the 2x raise over waiting for the river.

9-4 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing extra chips now.

With no pair, no flush draw, and only a gutshot straight draw, this hand is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

A pair of nines beats enough unpaired dealer holdings and lower pairs to make calling more valuable than folding, despite the four-card straight threat.

Pocket twos fall below the optimal preflop raising threshold of pocket threes. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Pocket deuces are a vulnerable underpair on this connected flop, with little improvement potential. Checking preserves the option to make a better-informed river decision without committing a 2x raise.

Our pair wins against 272 of the 990 possible dealer holdings and ties against one. Raising loses about 18.98 chips on average, slightly better than the certain 20-chip loss from folding.

T5 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the board.

Ten-high with no pair and only backdoor straight and flush possibilities is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to make the river decision after seeing the full board.

The board's pair guarantees dealer qualification, and my ten kicker wins against only 134 of 990 possible dealer holdings, with 52 ties. Raising has an expected loss of about 21.66 chips, worse than folding for a 20-chip loss.

Seven-five offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing extra chips now.

I have an open-ended straight draw but no pair and only low cards. Checking preserves the option to raise after improving or fold an unfavorable river rather than commit twice the ante now.

I have an eight-high straight, which cannot be beaten on this board. Raising earns value against weaker hands and a 1:1 blind payout on a win.