Showdown Hold'em table

4-5 offsuit is below the profitable preflop raising thresholds, so preserve flexibility to evaluate the flop.

With 4-5 on an A-T-9 flop, this hand has negligible immediate showdown value and only very remote runner-runner improvement. Checking preserves the option to fold on the river unless the runout becomes unusually favorable.

With only a weak five kicker to the paired board, the dealer will almost always have a better kicker or a made two-pair/trips hand. The tiny winning range does not justify the river call.

4♣7♣ is below the profitable preflop raise thresholds. Check to see the flop and retain the option to raise only with sufficient equity.

Four clubs give a strong flush draw with substantial made-hand and blind-bonus potential, making the flop raise preferable to waiting.

3♥5♣ is well below the profitable preflop raising range, so checking preserves the option to evaluate the flop.

With only a gutshot straight draw and very weak current holdings on a coordinated board, checking preserves the option to fold unfavorable rivers or raise when improved.

I have a made 7-high straight on this paired board, which is far too strong to fold and has substantial value against the dealer's qualifying range.

Q2 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold, so checking preserves the option to make a better-informed flop or river decision.

With Q-high on an ace-high flop and no meaningful made hand or strong draw, preserving the option to fold unfavorable rivers is preferable to committing a 2x play bet.

Our queen plays as a strong kicker to the paired board and beats many dealer holdings that miss the ace, 9, 8, or 7. The river raise has positive value versus folding despite the vulnerable board.

Pocket sevens are above the optimal preflop 4x threshold (33+), so maximize value immediately.

8-4 offsuit is below the profitable preflop raising range, so preserve flexibility and evaluate the flop.

Eight-high with no made pair and only weak runner-runner draw potential is not strong enough to commit the 2x play bet. Check and retain the river decision.

My J-high is beaten by nearly all qualifying dealer hands and by most unpaired high-card holdings. The few low unpaired dealer combinations I beat do not justify the river call.

8-2 suited is well below the profitable preflop raising range. Check and retain the option to evaluate the flop.

I have a made flush on the flop, with additional straight-flush potential. This is strong enough to commit the 2x play bet.

Ace-king suited is a premium preflop holding and falls comfortably within the optimal 4x raising range.

Ace-high is an optimal preflop 4x raise under the reference strategy.

8-4 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise, so retain flexibility and evaluate the flop.

We have a made pair on the flop and are ahead of the dealer's many unpaired holdings. Raising now captures value and retains equity against overcards and draws.

9-6 offsuit is below the profitable preflop raise thresholds, so retain flexibility to assess the flop.

This middle pair is vulnerable on an ace-high coordinated flop. Checking preserves the option to make a better-informed river decision rather than committing two ante units now.

My paired six gives aces and sixes, which beats the dealer's many one-pair holdings on this paired board. The river raise is preferable to surrendering the posted ante and blind.

K7 suited is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range, with king-high strength, suitedness, and straight/flush potential.

Any ace is a published optimal preflop 4x raise. The suited ace also retains nut-flush and straight potential.

9-3 offsuit is well below the profitable preflop raising ranges, so preserving the option to evaluate the flop is best.

Nine-high with a weak backdoor-style flush possibility and no made hand is not strong enough to commit on the flop. Checking preserves the option to fold or value-bet accurately on the river.

Two pair, nines and threes, is a strong river holding on this unpaired board. The dealer needs a relatively narrow set of stronger two-pair or trips combinations to beat it.

Ace-king offsuit is an any-ace premium preflop hand and falls in the optimal 4x raising range.

J3 offsuit is below the profitable preflop raising thresholds, so checking preserves the option to evaluate the flop.

J-high on this K-Q-6 flop has little immediate showdown value and only weak backdoor improvement potential. Checking retains the option to fold unfavorable rivers rather than committing a 2x play bet.

Two pair, queens and jacks, is well ahead of most dealer holdings on this paired board. Raise for value despite vulnerability to kings, queens, and stronger two-pair or trips.

Q6 suited meets the published optimal preflop 4x raising threshold.

9-8 offsuit is below the published profitable preflop raise thresholds, so checking preserves the option to evaluate the flop.

I have an open-ended straight draw with 6 or J completing a straight, plus additional pair/improvement potential. This is strong enough to take the 2x flop raise.

8-high offsuit is below the profitable preflop raising range. Check and retain the option to assess the flop.

Middle pair plus an open-ended straight draw has strong showdown equity and substantial improvement potential, making the flop raise profitable.

8-4 offsuit is below the profitable preflop raising thresholds, so preserve flexibility and evaluate the flop.

With only a weak gutshot to a five and no made pair, raising 2x is too thin. Checking preserves the option to fold unfavorable river outcomes.

I have a pair of eights, which can beat the dealer's unpaired holdings and weaker made pairs. Calling the final 1x bet has substantially better value than surrendering both posted bets.

T8 offsuit is below the profitable preflop raise thresholds, so checking preserves the option to assess the flop.

With only an unpaired T8 on a paired A-Q-Q flop, immediate equity is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to make a precise river decision after seeing both remaining cards.

Raise: folding forfeits the same ante and blind, while our trips can still win or tie against many dealer holdings. The extra play bet gives upside with no worse total loss than folding.

Any ace is a standard profitable preflop 4x raise in this game. Ace-eight has sufficient showdown strength and qualifying-dealer equity.

J3 offsuit is too weak for an aggressive preflop raise, so retain flexibility to evaluate the flop.

Top pair on the flop is strong enough to commit the 2x play bet, with additional chances to improve to trips or two pair.

J6 offsuit is below the profitable preflop raising thresholds, so checking preserves the option to evaluate the flop.

With only jack-high on this disconnected flop and limited immediate draw value, checking retains the option to make a more informed river decision rather than committing 2x now.

Raise with the made pair of sixes. It beats dealer high-card hands and lower pairs often enough to justify the river play bet.

2-3 offsuit is far below the profitable preflop raising range, so I check and retain the option to evaluate the flop.

With 2c3d on A-Q-8, we have no made hand and very little immediate equity. Checking preserves the option to fold unfavorable river runouts rather than committing 2x now.

My cards cannot improve beyond the board, so I can only tie unless the dealer improves; the dealer will improve and qualify too often for a river call to be worthwhile.

7-3 offsuit is well below the profitable preflop raising range. Check and reassess with the flop.

Seven-high with only weak backdoor straight possibilities is far below the profitable flop-raise range. Check and evaluate the completed board at the river.

My 7 kicker on the paired board is beaten by almost any dealer holding, with only a small set of low unpaired dealer holdings losing. Folding preserves chips versus a strongly negative river call.

KQ offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range (K5o+).

A-high with only a weak wheel draw is not strong enough to commit a 2x play bet on this coordinated, two-spade flop. Checking preserves the option to raise only on a favorable river.

I hold trip sevens with an ace kicker, which is far ahead of most dealer holdings. The dealer mainly beats this with full houses or quads, so the river raise is strongly profitable.

K5 offsuit is in the published optimal preflop 4x raising range.

T5 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise; retain the option to assess the flop.

Ten-high with only weak backdoor straight possibilities has insufficient equity to commit a 2x play bet on this coordinated two-spade flop. Check and retain the river decision.

With only king-high and no made hand, the dealer will qualify and beat this holding too often. The small chance of winning unqualified high-card holdings does not justify the river play bet.