Showdown Hold'em table

Pocket eights are comfortably within the optimal preflop 4x raising range.

Q4 offsuit falls below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

A pair of fours with a queen kicker is strong enough to raise on this flop rather than wait for the river.

Offsuit 8-3 is too weak for a preflop raise; checking preserves the option to assess the flop before committing more chips.

Bottom pair with an eight kicker is weak on an ace-king flop. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river rather than committing a 2x raise now.

My pair of threes beats the dealer's unpaired hands. With only one ante needed to reach showdown, raising is better than forfeiting the ante and blind.

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

Bottom pair and an open-ended straight draw give this hand strong prospects against the dealer’s random holding, making the 2x raise worthwhile.

J-T offsuit is in the recommended preflop 4x raising range, so raising now has better expected value than waiting.

K-9 offsuit is in the recommended preflop 4x-raise range (K-5 offsuit or better).

Six-four suited is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

With six-high, no pair, and only a runner-runner straight possibility, this is too weak for a 2x flop raise. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

My pair of tens with a six kicker loses to most dealer holdings. The chance of winning is too small to justify the additional play bet.

Any ace is in the recommended preflop 4x range, including A6 offsuit.

Any ace is strong enough for the recommended preflop 4x raise; A4 offsuit is ahead of many random dealer holdings.

Unsuited 3-2 is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

The open-ended straight draw has potential, but with only low cards and no diamond, a 2x raise is too costly when it misses. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

My best hand is the pair of sevens on the board, so I cannot beat the dealer. Raising can only tie or lose and is worse than folding.

T5 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise; checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

Ten-five has no pair or strong draw on this flop. Checking avoids committing a 2x raise with a weak hand and preserves the river decision.

Trip nines with a ten kicker is vulnerable to any dealer card above a ten, a board-matching card, or a pocket pair. Calling has worse expected value than folding.

Six-four suited falls outside the recommended preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

A pair of sixes on this unpaired flop is strong enough to raise now rather than risk having to decide on a worse river.

8♣2♣ is too weak to justify a preflop raise. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

With no pair and only weak backdoor draws on an ace-high flop, raising 2x risks too much. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

Two pair, sixes and deuces, beats many dealer holdings that miss the board. Raising has better expected value than surrendering the ante and blind.

Ace-six suited is in the recommended preflop 4x raising range; checking would give up value.

Q7 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

With only queen-high over the paired board and no strong draw, I prefer to wait for the river rather than commit a 2x raise.

My two pair, sevens and fives, is likely ahead of enough dealer holdings to make raising more profitable than folding.

J♣6♥ is an unsuited, unpaired hand outside the profitable preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

Top pair on an unpaired, rainbow flop is strong enough to raise now rather than risk reaching the river without a bet.

T9 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

With only ten-high and no immediate straight or flush draw, a 2x raise is too speculative. Checking preserves the option to decide after seeing the full board.

I have only the board’s pair of fours, and many dealer holdings beat it, including any six completing a straight. The chance of winning is too low to justify the river bet.

Any ace is a profitable preflop 4x raise under the reference strategy, and ace-ten offsuit has additional high-card strength.

Any ace is a recommended preflop 4x raise, including A-2 offsuit.

Any ace is in the recommended preflop 4x range, including A-2 offsuit.

K2 offsuit is below the preflop 4x raising range, so I’ll check and reassess on the flop.

The open-ended straight draw has eight outs, and a king can also make a strong pair. Those ways to improve make the 2x raise preferable to waiting for the river.

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

Nine-high with no spade, pair, or immediate straight draw is too weak to justify a 2x flop raise. Checking preserves the option to decide after seeing the full board.

My pair of nines can beat many dealer holdings, and the chance of winning makes the 1x raise preferable to forfeiting the ante and blind.

9♣3♣ is below the recommended preflop raising range; checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

I have a pair of threes using a hole card. Raising now takes value from dealer hands that remain unpaired, rather than waiting until the river to make a smaller raise.

Q5 suited falls below the recommended preflop 4x raising range, so I’ll wait for the flop before committing more chips.

A queen-high flush draw offers strong improvement potential, making the 2x flop raise preferable to waiting until the river.

Offsuit 5-6 is too weak for a profitable preflop raise; checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

My pair of fives is ahead of many dealer holdings, and raising now captures the larger 2x play bet before the remaining cards are dealt.

4-3 offsuit is below the recommended 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 to raise against a random dealer hand, and checking risks giving up value while allowing overcards to improve.

9-4 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range; checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

Nine-high with a gutshot straight draw is too weak to commit a 2x raise on this flop. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

My pair of nines beats the dealer's unpaired hands and many lower pairs. Raising has better expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

Pocket twos are below the recommended preflop raising threshold of 33+. Checking lets me reassess after the flop.

Pocket deuces are weak on a T-9-8 flop, where the dealer has many ways to make a stronger hand. Checking preserves the option to make a smaller decision on the river.

My pair of twos beats enough dealer high-card hands to make the 1x raise preferable to folding, despite the coordinated board.

T5 offsuit is outside the profitable preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

Ten-high with no pair and only a backdoor flush draw is too weak to justify a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

With only a pair of threes from the board and a ten kicker, too few dealer holdings lose to justify the river bet.

Seven-five offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise; checking preserves the option to act after seeing the flop.

The open-ended straight draw has potential, but 7-high is currently weak. Checking preserves the option to fold on the river if the draw misses.

I have an eight-high straight, which beats nearly every possible dealer hand on this board. Raising is far better than folding.