Showdown Hold'em table

Pocket eights are a strong pair that clears the published 4x preflop range (33+), so raising four times the ante is the higher-expectation play.

Q4 offsuit is below the published 4x preflop threshold (Q8o+), so checking keeps the option to continue on the flop or river with less at risk.

A pair of 4s with a queen kicker is a playable made hand on this flop, and the dealer must hold at least a pair to qualify, so betting 2x has positive expected value here.

Eight-three offsuit is far below the published 4x raise range, so I check and keep the option to act on the flop.

A pair of threes with ace-king on board is a weak holding that often loses to a qualifying dealer hand, so I keep the risk low by checking and deciding on the river.

I hold a pair of 3s with an ace-high kicker, which beats any dealer high-card hand and pair of 2s, about 43% of holdings. Raising 1x has expected value near -13 chips versus -20 for folding, so raising is better.

7-9 offsuit is below the published 4x preflop threshold, so checking keeps the option to raise 2x on the flop without risking extra chips preflop.

A pair of sevens with an open-ended straight draw (7-8-9-T) is strong enough on the flop to justify the 2x play bet over checking.

Jack-ten offsuit is in the published optimal 4x preflop range (JTo), so raising four times the ante is the reference play.

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

Four-six suited is below the published 4x preflop range, so checking keeps the option to play later streets cheaply. Its equity is too weak to raise 4x or 3x blind.

My 4-6 has no pair or real draw against a 10-5-9 board, so raising 2x is poor value. Checking keeps the cheap river option to raise 1x or fold.

The board already gives the dealer a pair of tens, so the dealer always qualifies, and my pair of tens with a Q-9-6 kicker beats the dealer only in the rare case that both dealer hole cards are low and unpaired. Raising 1x into that would be negative expectation, so I fold.

Ace-six offsuit is a pure ace hand, and the published optimal 4x table includes any ace preflop, so raising four times the ante is the standard play.

Any ace is in the published optimal 4x preflop range, and A-4 suited-or-not offers reasonable equity against the dealer's qualifying hands, so raising four times the ante is the standard play.

2-3 offsuit is well below the published 4x preflop range, so I check and keep the option to play later streets.

Our 2-3 has only a weak backdoor-style straight draw (needs a 6 or an ace), so checking keeps the cost low and lets us decide on the river with all five cards.

Our river hand is only a pair of sevens with an 8 kicker, and the board already makes the dealer qualify, so the dealer beats us almost every runout. Calling a 1x river raise adds a losing bet, so folding is best.

Ten-five offsuit is below the published 4x preflop threshold, so checking keeps the ante at risk minimal and preserves the option to act on the flop or river.

Ten-high with a five has no pair and only a two-card straight draw, so I'd rather keep the bet small and see the river before deciding whether to fold or raise 1x.

Holding trip nines with a Ten kicker, I win only about 14.5% of dealer holdings, since any dealer pair, full house, nine, or higher kicker beats me. Raising risks about 21.4 chips in expectation against folding's certain 20-chip loss, so folding is slightly better.

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

A pair of sixes with an ace on the board is a middling hand, so I'll check and keep the option to fold on the river after seeing all five community cards rather than committing 2x now.

I hold a pair of sixes, which beats any dealer no-pair hand and any dealer pair of 2 through 5, so calling beats folding and losing the ante and blind.

Eight-deuce suited is below the published 4x preflop range, so checking keeps the hand alive for a cheaper flop decision.

With 8-2 on a 6-7-A flop I have only ace-high plus weak draws, so a 2x flop raise is not profitable against the dealer's qualifying range. I'll check and reassess on the river.

I hold two pair (sixes and deuces, ace kicker), which beats the dealer's guaranteed pair of sixes on about 58% of runouts, so raising 1x has positive expectation while folding forfeits the ante and blind.

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

Q7 suited falls within the published optimal 4x range (Q6s+), so raising four times the ante has positive expected value preflop.

6-J offsuit is below the published optimal 4x preflop range (JTo and J8s+ are the lowest jacks), so checking keeps the ante at risk minimal and preserves the option to raise 2x on the flop.

A pair of jacks on the flop is strong against a dealer who needs a pair to qualify, so raising 2x is the better expected-value play over checking.

9-T offsuit is below the published 4x preflop range (JTo is the weakest offsuit broadway-connector included), so checking keeps the option to continue on the flop or river without risking extra chips preflop.

On the flop I hold T-high with 9-T against a 4-5-8 board, which is a weak made hand with only a two-card straight draw. Checking keeps the decision open for the river, where I can still fold cheaply if the board doesn't help.

I hold a pair of 4s with T-9-8 kickers, and the dealer already has a pair of 4s on board, so they qualify and beat me with any pair, two pair, or higher kicker. I win only about 18% of the time, so calling the 1x river bet (EV about -21) is slightly worse than folding (EV -20).

Ace-ten offsuit is in the published optimal 4x raise range (any ace), so raising four times the ante is the standard play here.

Any ace is in the published optimal 4x preflop range, so raising four times the ante is the standard play with A-2 offsuit.

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

K2 offsuit falls below the published 4x preflop range (K5o+ is the cutoff), so checking keeps the option to reassess on the flop at lower risk.

K-2 on a 3-4-5 board has only straight-draw equity (A or 6 completes it) and no made hand, so I keep the cheaper option and check, leaving the river raise-or-fold decision open.

We hold only a pair of 8s with a king kicker, and the dealer always qualifies on the board pair. Our win rate is roughly 10%, so calling risks about -25 chips in expectation versus -20 for folding.

9-4 suited is below the published 4x preflop range (33+, any ace, K2s+, Q6s+, J8s+), so checking to see the flop keeps risk low, and the flop raise_2x option remains available.

Nine-high with a weak backdoor straight draw is not strong enough to bet 2x on the flop, so I check and reassess on the river.

A pair of nines with a jack kicker beats many dealer holdings, and folding forfeits the ante and blind for certain. Raising 1x wins far more often than it loses on this board, so the call has positive expected value.

9-3 offbeat is well below the published 4x preflop range, so I check and keep the option to continue on the flop or river instead of risking a 4x or 3x raise.

A pair of threes with a nine kicker is a weak made hand against a dealer who qualifies with most holdings, so I keep the play bet small and check to see the river before risking more.

I hold two pair (sixes and threes) on the river, and the dealer's pair of sixes on the board means they always qualify, but roughly 55% of dealer holdings lose to me. Raising has a much better expected value than folding, which costs the ante and blind for certain.

Q5s falls below the published 4x preflop range (Q6s+), so checking keeps the hand in play for a cheaper flop decision rather than risking four times the ante.

I have four hearts (flush draw) plus an open-ended straight draw with no made hand, so I'll check and see the turn and river cheaply rather than risk a 2x raise on a weak hand.

I hold a queen-high heart flush (Qh 5h with 7h Th 8h), which beats nearly every dealer holding at showdown, and the 3:2 blind payout on a flush makes calling the river raise clearly +EV versus folding.

Six-five offsuit is below the published 4x opening range, so I check preflop and keep the option to play later streets cheaply.

A pair of fives with ace and queen kickers is a reasonable flop holding against the dealer's pair-or-better qualifying range, so I'm applying the 2x flop raise rather than checking.

Four-three offsuit is below the published 4x preflop range, so I check and keep the option to play on the flop or river with more information.

I hold a pair of threes with a Ten kicker, which is a marginal flop hand against the dealer, so I'll keep the cheaper option and decide on the river with all five cards.

I hold a pair of 3s with a Ten kicker, and folding loses 20 chips for certain, while calling 1x costs about 10 chips in expectation because the dealer fails to qualify often enough to push the ante.

Four-nine offsuit is too weak to put in a 4x or 3x preflop raise, so I'll check and keep the option to act on the flop or river.

Holding 4-9 with no pair and only a gutshot to a straight, this hand is too weak to bet 2x on the flop. Checking keeps the option to fold or bet at the river with better information.

I hold a pair of nines with a King-Ten-Seven kicker, which beats any dealer hand without a pair or better and most dealer hands that qualify. Raising one ante is positive expectation here, while folding loses 20 chips for certain.

Pocket deuces fall below the 33+ threshold for a 4x preflop raise, so checking keeps the hand alive for a possible 2x flop raise while limiting risk.

A pair of deuces is weak against the T-9-8 board, and a raise here has negative expected value, so checking keeps the hand alive for a cheaper river decision.

With a pair of deuces, I beat the dealer only if the dealer fails to qualify, about 40% of the time, which the 1x raise wins. Raising costs about -14 chips in expectation versus -20 for folding, so raising is better.

T5 offsuit is far below the published 4x preflop range, so raising 3x or 4x has negative expectation. Checking keeps the option to act on the flop at a lower cost.

Ten-high with no pair on a 9-3-Q flop is too weak to raise 2x, so I'll check and decide on the river whether to make the 1x bet or fold.

I have a pair of threes with a Q-T-9 kicker, and the dealer qualifies on the board pair alone. I win often enough that calling the 1x river bet beats folding the ante and blind.

Five-seven offsuit is below the published 4x and 3x preflop thresholds, so checking keeps the option to decide on the flop and river with more information.

I hold a 5-7 open-ended straight draw to 8-6 on a J-high flop, which is weak against a dealer that qualifies with any pair. Checking keeps the cheap option to make the straight and avoids doubling the risk on the flop.

I hold 4-5-6-7-8 for a straight on the river, which beats most dealer pair-or-better hands, so a 1x play bet has clearly positive expected value over folding.