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 this low flop, with chances to improve on later streets.

K6 offsuit is within the recommended preflop 4x raising range (K5 offsuit or better).

K2 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

Bottom pair with a king kicker has enough showdown potential on this low flop to raise now rather than wait for the river.

A8 offsuit falls within the published optimal preflop 4x range, which includes any ace.

A2 suited is in the recommended preflop 4x range; the ace and flush potential make raising preferable to waiting.

Any ace is in the recommended preflop 4x range, and A-T offsuit is comfortably strong enough to raise now.

T3 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

The paired flop leaves T-3 with no strong draw or made hand beyond the shared sixes. Checking preserves the option to make a smaller decision on the river.

My hand is only a pair of sixes with a ten kicker. Too many dealer holdings beat it, so a river raise is worse than folding.

7-4 offsuit is outside the profitable preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

I have a pair of fours on the flop. Raising now captures value against dealer hands that have not paired, rather than waiting until the river to make a smaller raise.

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

Nine-high has no pair or immediate straight or flush draw on this ace-high flop. Checking preserves the option to make a better-informed river decision.

My 9-high straight beats most dealer holdings. A higher straight or spade flush is possible, but raising is much better than folding.

Unsuited 9-6 is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

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

I have only ace-high with a nine kicker. Too few dealer holdings lose to this hand to justify the river raise.

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

Middle pair on this rainbow flop is strong enough to raise now rather than wait for a river decision at only 1x.

T7 suited falls below the recommended preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

The board pair is shared, and T-7 offers only a modest kicker and backdoor draws. Checking preserves the option to decide after seeing the full board.

The board gives me two pair, and many dealer holdings tie it. Those pushes make raising worth more than folding, despite the hands that beat me.

8♠3♠ is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

I have no pair or heart on a three-heart flop, and my straight prospects are weak. Checking preserves the option to fold on the river rather than committing a 2x raise now.

I have only jack-high with an eight kicker. The dealer will usually have a pair or a higher kicker, so putting in another 10 chips is worse than folding.

T8 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise; checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

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

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

With 8-9 on an A-K-Q flop, I have no pair or immediate straight draw. Checking avoids committing a 2x raise with a weak hand and preserves the river decision.

My nine plays over the board’s seven, so I beat dealer hands with two lower, unpaired cards. That gives the river raise better value than folding.

7-3 offsuit is well below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

Seven-high on this flop has no pair or immediate draw, so committing a 2x raise is unlikely to be profitable. Checking preserves the option to reassess on the river.

My seven-high hand beats very few dealer holdings. Calling would risk another 10 chips with too little chance of improving the outcome.

8-6 offsuit is outside the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

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

With only the board’s pair of queens and weak kickers, too many dealer holdings beat me. Calling the final bet is unlikely to recover enough to justify the extra risk.

Q9 offsuit is within the recommended preflop 4x raising range (Q8 offsuit or better).

Any ace is in the recommended preflop 4x range; A-7 offsuit has enough equity to raise now rather than wait for the flop.

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

Any ace is a profitable preflop 4x raise under the reference strategy, including A8 offsuit.

Any ace is in the optimal preflop 4x range, including A8 offsuit.

J5 suited is below the recommended preflop raising range; checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

J-high with a gutshot and backdoor flush draw is too weak to commit a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

Two pair, jacks and fours, is strong enough to play against the dealer’s unknown hand rather than forfeit the ante and blind.

J9 suited is in the recommended preflop 4x range. Raising now captures its strong equity and straight and flush potential.

Q7 offsuit falls below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Top pair on the flop is strong enough to raise, despite the weak kicker and club draw on the board.

8-3 offsuit is too weak for a preflop raise. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

With eight-three offsuit on a ten-seven-five rainbow flop, I have only a weak backdoor straight draw. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river rather than committing a 2x raise now.

A pair of eights beats many possible dealer holdings, making the 1x raise preferable to forfeiting the ante and blind.

Any ace is a profitable preflop 4x raise under the reference strategy, including suited A4.

Ace-jack suited is well within the optimal preflop 4x-raise range and has strong showdown and flush potential.

Q9 offsuit is in the published optimal preflop 4x range (Q8 offsuit or better).

T8 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

The open-ended straight draw is promising, but I have no made hand. Checking preserves the option to decide with all five community cards rather than commit a 2x play bet now.

A pair of tens beats many dealer holdings. Raising costs only 10 more chips than folding if the dealer wins, while a win pays substantially more.