Showdown Hold'em table

King-nine suited is above the published optimal 4x preflop threshold (K2s+), so raising four times the ante has positive expected value.

A pocket pair of threes meets the published 4x preflop threshold of 33+, so raising four times the ante is the preferred play.

Seven-two offsuit is one of the weakest starting hands, so I won't put in a 3x or 4x preflop raise. Checking keeps the option to play later streets and limits chips at risk.

With 4-2 offsuit against a 5-7-2 board I have only seven-high and no real draw, so I should check and keep the option to decide on the river rather than commit 20 chips on the flop.

I hold only a pair of twos on a five-diamond-heavy board, which loses to nearly every dealer qualifying hand; raising 10 more gives an expected value of about -21.5 chips versus -20 for folding.

6-9 offsuit is below the published 4x range (33+, any ace, K2s+, K5o+, Q6s+, Q8o+, J8s+, JTo), so checking keeps the option to continue on the flop.

Pair of nines on a J-Q-9 flop is a strong enough made hand to bet 2x against a dealer who only qualifies with a pair or better, so I'm raising.

Two-three offsuit is far below the published 4x opening range, so I'll check and keep the option to raise on the flop without risking extra chips preflop.

A pair of deuces with King-Jack-three kickers is a weak made hand that rarely beats a qualifying dealer, so raising 2x on the flop adds too much risk. Checking keeps the bet small and lets the river decide.

I have a pair of twos with K-J-8 kicker, and the dealer only wins if they hold a pair or better that beats mine (about 55-60% of holdings), so raising 1x has a negative but better EV than folding, which loses the full ante and blind.

3-9 offsuit is far below the published 4x raise range, so checking keeps the option to raise 2x on the flop at lower risk.

I have only a queen-high hand with no real straight or flush draw, so I'll check and keep the cheaper river decision, where I can fold a weak hand.

I have only Queen-high with four hearts but no flush, so I win only if the dealer misses both pair and better and holds weak cards, roughly an 8% chance. Raising risks about 30 chips to win about 10, which is worse than folding and losing the 20 already at stake.

Q2 offsuit is below the published 4x preflop range (Q6s+ or Q8o+), so checking keeps the ante at risk low and preserves the option to raise 2x on the flop.

Pair of 5s with a queen kicker is a marginal showdown hand against a dealer who always qualifies on the board pair, so I'll check and keep the option to fold or raise 1x on the river.

I hold a pair of fives with an ace kicker, which beats a large share of dealer hands, roughly 40-45% to win. Raising 1x has a clearly better expected value than folding, which forfeits the ante and blind for sure.

Any ace is in the published optimal 4x range for preflop play, so raising four times the ante with A-3 suited is the standard play.

K8 offsuit is in the published optimal 4x range (K5o+), so raising four times the ante has positive expected value against the dealer.

Nine-six offsuit is below the published 4x preflop threshold, so checking keeps only the ante at risk and preserves the option to play later streets.

A pair of sixes with a nine kicker is a marginal made hand on this flop, not strong enough to justify a 2x bet. Checking keeps the option to decide on the river with all five cards visible.

I hold two pair, sevens and sixes, with a jack kicker, and the dealer beats me only with a seven, a jack, a ten, or a pocket pair of nines or eights, roughly a third of holdings. Raising 1x has positive expectation here, while folding forfeits the ante and blind for certain.

3-Qd is below the published 4x preflop range (Q8o+ is the minimum offsuit queen), and 3x is not a good use of chips here, so I check and keep the option to act on the flop.

On the flop I hold only Q-high with a double-gutshot straight draw (needs a 6 or an ace), which is too weak to raise 2x. Checking keeps the option to fold on the river if the draw misses.

With 3h and Qd I hold a straight (2-6) on the board, which beats almost every dealer hand; the dealer only wins with a flush, full house, or four of a kind, and the dealer's pair of 5s qualifies, so raising 1x is clearly +EV.

K2s is inside the published optimal 4x preflop range, so raising four times the ante is the standard play with this suited king.

Pocket kings is well above the published 4x preflop range (any pair of 33+ and any ace are included), so raising 4x is the standard play.

Ten-eight suited is below the published 4x preflop range (J8s+ and JTo are the lowest qualifiers), so I check and keep the option to raise 2x on the flop.

A pair of tens on a Q-T-7 flop is a made hand that should beat most of the dealer's random holdings, and the dealer only qualifies with a pair or better, so raising 2x has positive expected value here.

Ace-four offsuit is an 'any ace' hand in the published optimal 4x preflop table, so raising four times the ante is the standard play.

Pocket nines is in the published 4x raising range (33+), and the strong pair justifies the larger raise over checking.

King-seven suited falls in the published 4x table range (K2s+), so raising four times the ante is the standard preflop play.

Tc6h is too weak to raise 3x or 4x preflop, so checking keeps the hand alive for the flop and river decisions at lower risk.

I hold three sixes plus a pair of tens, a full house on the flop, so raising 2x is strong value against the dealer's pair-or-better qualification.

K2 suited is in the published optimal 4x preflop range (K2s+), so raising four times the ante is the highest-EV play here.

4-2 offsuit is far below the published 4x preflop threshold, so I'll check and keep the option to decide on the flop.

A pair of deuces with a king kicker is too weak to raise 2x on the flop, so I'll check and decide on the river with all five cards.

We hold only a pair of nines with K-Q-4, and the board already pairs the nines, so the dealer always qualifies and beats us unless it holds two cards below our kicker. Raising 1x here loses in nearly every runout, so folding is correct.

2-4 offsuit is far below the 4x preflop range, so I check and keep the option to act on the flop or river with a better view of the board.

A pair of twos with a king kicker is weak against a dealer who qualifies with any pair, so I'll keep the 2x exposure off and decide on the river with all five cards.

I hold a pair of 2s, which only beats a dealer who misses the board with no pair (about 45%). Raising 1x has an expected loss near -12 chips, versus -20 for folding, so raising is the better action.

Pocket deuces fall below the published 4x preflop range (33+), so checking keeps the option to decide on the flop with more information.

A pair of deuces on an 8-4-J board is marginal, so I'll check and keep the river decision, where I can see all five cards before risking another ante.

Holding a pair of twos on the river, I win only when the dealer misses a pair (about 40%), so raising 1x for about -13 expected chips beats folding's guaranteed -20 loss of ante and blind.

Queen-jack offsuit clears the published optimal 4x raise range (Q8o+ and JTo+), so raising four times the ante is the standard play.

Any ace is in the published optimal 4x preflop range, and A7 offers a strong showdown edge against the dealer's pair-or-better qualifier, so raising four times the ante is the right play.

King-five suited (K5s) falls within the published optimal 4x range (K2s+), so raising four times the ante is the higher-EV play preflop.

K9 offsuit is above the published 4x threshold (K5o+), so raising four times the ante is the standard play.

Jh9h is suited and sits inside the published optimal 4x range (J8s+), so the four-times raise has positive expectation here.

Ace-3 offsuit is an ace hand, which the published optimal preflop table says to play at 4x, so I raise four times the ante.

8-6 offsuit is below the published 4x preflop range, so I check and keep the option to act on the flop.

Three eights on the flop is a very strong made hand that beats most dealer holdings, so raising 2x for positive expected value is clearly better than checking.

Deuce-king offsuit is below the published 4x opening range, so I check preflop and keep the option to act on the flop.

My K-high on J-T-5-2 is weak, and raising 2x now adds 20 chips at risk with little chance to beat a qualifying dealer. Checking keeps the river option to fold or raise, where folding costs the same ante and blind.

I hold a pair of twos with a King kicker, which beats the dealer whenever the dealer fails to qualify (about 39% of holdings) or only makes a weaker pair. Raising about -12 chips in expectation beats folding's certain -20.