Showdown Hold'em table

Ace-rag offsuit (A3o) is in the published optimal 4x preflop raising range (any ace), so raising 4x maximizes EV.

3h2h is far below the optimal 4x raising range (33+, any ace, K2s+/K5o+, Q6s+/Q8o+, J8s+/JTo), so checking preserves the option to raise 2x on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

3h2h on Qh 8s Kc gives us nothing but a backdoor flush and gutshot-ish draws; standard flop strategy is to raise 2x only with a pair or better or strong draws, so we check and see the river for free.

We hold 3h2h on Qh 8s Kc Tc Ac and can only play the board (A-high); we can never beat the dealer, only tie when the dealer has two unpaired non-flushing cards 7 or lower (~19% of holdings). EV of raising is about -23.5 chips versus -20 for folding, so folding is correct.

Any ace is a published optimal 4x raise preflop in Ultimate Texas Hold'em-style play; A7o qualifies, so maximize the bet now.

Any ace is in the published optimal 4x preflop raising range for Ultimate Texas Hold'em-style play; A4o is a raise 4x.

Pocket eights are a pair (33+) and fall squarely within the published optimal 4x preflop raising range, so raising the maximum maximizes expected value.

Ace-ten offsuit is well within the optimal 4x preflop raising range (any ace), so raising the maximum preflop is the highest-EV play.

9-3 offsuit is far below the optimal 4x raising range (needs pairs, aces, strong kings/queens/jacks), so checking preserves the option to raise 2x on a favorable flop or 1x on the river.

Flop gives us a hidden pair of nines (9d with 9h on board); standard flop strategy raises 2x with any hidden pair, as it is a favorite against the dealer's random holding.

7-2 offsuit is the weakest preflop hand and far outside the optimal 4x raising range, so I check and wait to see the flop before committing chips.

7-2 offsuit on a K-J-8 board with no pair, no draw; raising 2x here is clearly negative EV, so check and reevaluate on the river.

Board pair of 8s with K-J-7 kickers; dealer beats me with any ace, queen, ten, nine, king, jack, eight, seven or five plus any pocket pair, leaving only ~84 of 990 dealer holdings I beat. Raising loses more than folding.

Any ace is a 4x raise in the published optimal preflop strategy for Ultimate Texas Hold'em style play; A2o is a positive-EV 4x raise against the dealer.

T5 offsuit is well below the optimal 4x raising threshold (no pair, no ace, not a qualifying king/queen/jack hand), so checking preserves the option to raise 2x on a good flop or 1x on the river.

Two pair (tens and fives) on the flop is a strong made hand well above the standard flop raise threshold of any pair; raising 2x maximizes value.

K6 offsuit is in the published optimal 4x range (K5o+), so raising 4x preflop maximizes EV.

T9 offsuit is not in the optimal 4x raising range (needs JTo or better for unpaired non-ace/king/queen hands), so checking preserves the option to raise 2x on a favorable flop or 1x on the river.

Flopped two pair (tens and nines) on an A-T-9 board, far stronger than the standard flop raise threshold of two pair or better; raising 2x maximizes value.

JTo is on the published optimal 4x raise list (JTo qualifies), so raising the maximum preflop maximizes expected value.

8-2 offsuit is far outside the optimal 4x raising range (33+, any ace, K2s+/K5o+, Q6s+/Q8o+, J8s+/JTo), so checking and waiting to see the flop is correct.

8-high with no pair on a K-J-9 board; only a gutshot to a ten. Far too weak to raise 2x, so check and see the river.

Bottom pair of deuces on a K-J-9-2-5 board; dealer has roughly 14 single-card outs plus pocket pairs and QT, well under the ~21-out fold threshold. Raising 1x loses about 14 chips in expectation versus 20 for folding.

5-2 offsuit is far below the optimal 4x raising range (33+, any ace, K2s+/K5o+, Q6s+/Q8o+, J8s+/JTo), so checking preserves the option to raise later only if the flop or river connects.

Holding 5c2h on a 4s4cQh board gives only the board's pair with weak kickers and a gutshot; raising 2x here is clearly negative EV, so check and reevaluate on the river.

Two pair (fours and deuces) wins against roughly 58% of the 990 dealer holdings; raising has an EV near zero versus a certain -20 for folding, so raising is far better.

6-3 offsuit is far below the published 4x raising threshold, so checking and waiting for the flop is the correct play.

6d3c on Ad 8d 7s gives only backdoor flush and double-backdoor straight draws with no pair; far below the flop 2x raise threshold, so check and see the river for free.

The 6d completes a ten-high straight (6-7-8-9-T) on this board; only a dealer holding a jack beats it, so raising 1x is clearly +EV versus folding, and the straight also pays the blind 1:1.

Any ace is a published 4x raise preflop in Ultimate Texas Hold'em strategy; A3 offsuit qualifies, so raising the maximum now maximizes EV.

K6 suited falls within the optimal 4x raising range (K2s+), so raising the maximum preflop maximizes expected value.

9h6h is not in the optimal 4x raise range (needs 33+, any ace, K2s+/K5o+, Q6s+/Q8o+, J8s+/JTo), so checking preserves the option to raise 2x on a favorable flop.

Holding 9h 6h on a paired Ad Ac 2d board, I have no pair, no flush draw and only a weak backdoor straight draw; the dealer qualifies far more often on a paired board, so raising 2x is clearly negative EV and checking to see the river is correct.

Board plays aces up with my 9 as the only kicker; dealer beats me with any diamond, ace, 2/3/8, any T+ kicker, pair, or 4-5 — roughly 48 of 990 holdings lose to me, so raising costs far more than the 20-chip fold.

QTo is in the optimal preflop 4x range (Q8o+), so raising the maximum preflop is +EV relative to checking.

Pocket kings are a premium holding well within the optimal 4x preflop range (33+), so raising the maximum maximizes expected value.

K9 offsuit is within the published optimal 4x range (K5o+), so raising the maximum preflop is the highest-EV play.

T9 suited is not in the published 4x range (needs J8s+ or better for jacks; tens are not listed), so checking preserves the option to raise 2x on a favorable flop.

Flopped top two pair (tens and nines) on a dry board, far stronger than the standard 2x threshold of top pair or better; raising 2x maximizes expected value here.

T5 suited is not in the optimal 4x raising range (no ace, no pair, not K/Q/J high in range), so checking preserves the option to raise 2x on a favorable flop.

Flopped two pair (tens and eights) on a paired board; strong hand well above the flop raise threshold of top pair or better, so raise 2x.

QTo is below the optimal 4x threshold (Q8o+ requires... actually Q8o+ includes QTo). Wait—published strategy raises Q8o+, so QTo qualifies for a 4x raise.

Q-T on a monotone club flop with no club and no pair is only an open-ended straight draw; standard flop strategy does not raise a bare draw, especially with a flush already possible for the dealer, so check and decide on the river.

Ts Qd with board Jc 9c 6c 7d Kc gives a king-high straight; only a dealer club (~36%) beats me with a flush, so raising 1x has strongly positive EV versus folding, plus the straight pays the blind 1:1 on a win.

Pocket aces are the strongest possible starting hand and well within the optimal 4x raising range; maximizing the play bet preflop maximizes expected value.

Q6 offsuit is below the published 4x threshold (Q6s+ or Q8o+), so checking preflop and reevaluating on the flop is the higher-EV line.

Queen high with no pair and only a backdoor flush draw on an ace-high board; standard flop strategy says check and wait for the river decision.

I hold an 8-high club flush (8c7c6c5c3c); only a higher club or the 4c beats me (~29% of dealer holdings), so raising is clearly better than folding.

T7 offsuit is well below the optimal 4x raising threshold (needs JTo or better for ten-high), so check and see the flop for free.

Top pair of tens on a 5-T-4 board with a 7 kicker is a standard 2x flop raise in Ultimate Texas Hold'em strategy (any pair using a hole card, top pair especially); checking forfeits value against the dealer's mostly unpaired holdings.

7-8 offsuit is not in the optimal 4x raising range (needs 33+, any ace, K5o+, Q8o+, JTo), so checking preflop and waiting for the flop/river decision has higher EV.

Flopped two pair (eights and sevens) on Js-8s-7h, which is far stronger than the standard flop raise threshold of two pair or better; raising 2x maximizes value here.

QJ offsuit is in the published optimal 4x range (Q8o+), so raising the maximum preflop is +EV versus checking.