Showdown Hold'em table

4c Jc is below the published 4x preflop range (J8s+ and JTo are the nearest holdings), so checking keeps the option to continue on the flop at a lower risk.

With J-4 high and no pair or strong draw on a 9-5-7 flop, a 2x raise risks chips with little equity against a dealer who qualifies only with a pair or better. Checking keeps the option to decide on the river.

Our king-high hand is weak, but folding loses 20 chips for sure, while calling 1x gives roughly -18 in expectation because the dealer often pairs up and the 10-chip play bet can still win when the dealer fails to qualify.

Nine-three offsuit is far below the published 4x-raise range, so I check and keep the option to raise 2x on the flop, avoiding a weak preflop commitment.

Nine-high with no pair or real draw on a 2-7-4 flop is too weak to add 2x the ante, so I check and keep the option to fold on the river.

Our 9-high board hand (T-9-8-7 with no pair, no straight since no 6 or J) is weak, so folding loses 20 chips for sure. Raising risks 30 if the dealer qualifies, but the dealer needs only a pair or better and misses about 41% of the time, where a push or win on the play bet makes raising roughly break-even to slightly better than folding.

K5 offsuit is outside the published 4x preflop range (K5o+ requires a higher kicker than 5 with a K, and K5o is at the edge), so checking to see the flop keeps risk low; the flop option then allows a 2x raise on a favorable board.

King-high with a three-spade flush draw is too weak to bet 2x on the flop, so I'll check and reassess on the river.

I have king-high with no pair or flush, but a dealer without a pair does not qualify, so my ante pushes and I win the play bet when I beat a high-card hand, which is more often than not. Raising edges out folding, which loses the ante and blind for certain.

Jack-ten suited is inside the published optimal 4x preflop range (J8s+), so raising four times the ante is the expected-value play.

K4 offsuit is below the published 4x preflop range (K5o+), so I check and keep the option to act on the flop.

With 4c Kh on a 3s 7d Ad flop I have only ace-high, which is too weak to justify a 2x raise, so I check and keep the option to fold the river if I don't improve.

I hold A-A-3-3 with a King kicker, and the dealer always qualifies on the board's pairs. The dealer beats me only with an ace, a third three, pocket kings or pocket sevens, about 18% of runouts, so calling the 1x river bet has strongly positive expectation versus folding.

Five-three offsuit is far below the preflop raise range, so I check and keep the option to act on the flop.

A pair of fives with an ace kicker is a marginal made hand against a random dealer, so I keep the cheaper option and check to see the turn and river before committing more chips.

I hold two pair (aces and fives, queen kicker) on a board that already pairs the aces, and the dealer always qualifies. Roughly 55% of dealer holdings lose to this, so raising 1x (EV about -2.5 chips) beats folding, which costs the ante and blind for a certain -20.

9-7 offsuit is below the published 4x preflop range, so I check and keep the option to decide on the flop.

A pair of sevens with an ace kicker is a middling hand that is not strong enough to justify a 2x flop raise, so I'll check and keep the cheaper option to raise 1x on the river after seeing all five cards.

I hold a pair of sevens with ace-queen-jack kickers. Raising 1x has roughly -0.5 ante-units expected value against folding's certain -2 units, since the dealer fails to qualify about 42% of the time and loses the play bet to me in that case.

J3s is below the published 4x preflop range (J8s+), so checking to see the flop is the better play; the flop raise_2x option keeps some upside.

A pair of threes with a king and jack is marginal, so I'll check and keep the option to fold on the river rather than risk 2x on the flop.

I hold a pair of threes on the river, which beats any dealer hand with only high cards or a pair below threes, and folding loses the ante and blind for certain. Raising 1x gives a positive expected value at a rough 35% win chance, so raise.

Queen-king suited is well above the published optimal 4x raise threshold (K2s+ and Q6s+ both qualify), so raising four times the ante is the highest-expectation play preflop.

J6 offsuit is below the published 4x preflop range, so I check to keep the option of a 2x flop raise rather than risk 4x on a weak hand.

A pair of sixes with a jack kicker is too weak to risk 2x on the flop. Checking keeps the option to raise 1x on the river if the board improves, or to fold if it does not.

Pair of sixes with a jack kicker wins about 52% of the time, since the dealer's pair of twos on the board only beats us with two pair, trips, or a straight. Raising has roughly -0.4 ante EV versus -2 for folding, so calling the river bet is clearly better.

T9 offsuit is below the published 4x preflop range, so I check and keep the option to play on the flop at 2x.

I hold 9-T with a paired board of 7s, so the dealer almost certainly qualifies with at least a pair of sevens and I have little showdown equity. Checking keeps the decision cheap and leaves the option to fold on the river.

I hold three sevens with a queen kicker, and the dealer beats me only with a pair in the hole, an ace or king kicker, or the last seven, about 41% of holdings. Raising 1x has a slightly negative expectation of roughly -0.7 chips, far better than folding's certain loss of 20 chips.

J6 offsuit is below the published 4x preflop range (J8s+ and JTo are the nearest hands), so I check and keep the option to raise 2x on the flop.

I hold a pair of queens with a jack kicker on a QQ4 flop, which should beat a random dealer hand most of the time. The dealer always qualifies on this board, so raising 2x for value is the better play.

Five-four offsuit is below the published 4x opening range, so I check preflop and keep the option to raise 2x on the flop instead of risking 4x or 3x on a weak hand.

A pair of fives with a straight draw (5-4 over the 3 and 5) is a strong flop holding here, so raising 2x is the better play. The dealer only qualifies with a pair or better, and this hand usually beats a random dealer hand.

Pocket aces is far above the published 4x opening range, so raising 4x the ante maximizes expected value against the dealer.

Ace-Jack offsuit is a strong hand; the published optimal 4x table includes any ace, so raising four times the ante is the standard play.

Q5 offsuit is below the published 4x raise range (Q8o+), so checking keeps the option to decide on the flop without risking the 4x play bet preflop.

Queen-high with only a club-flush draw is a weak holding against a king-high board, so I'll check and keep the option to fold on the river if I don't improve.

I have only King-high with no straight or pair, but folding loses the 20-chip ante and blind for certain, while calling risks 10 more and wins often enough when the dealer fails to qualify. The estimated expected value of calling is about -16 chips versus -20 for folding, so raising is better.

Any ace is in the published optimal 4x preflop range, and A-7 offsuit has enough high-card and straight potential to justify the maximum raise against the dealer.

Eight-deuce offsuit is far below the published 4x range, so raising preflop has negative expectation. Checking keeps the option to continue on the flop or river with better information.

A pair of eights with a straight draw (4, 7 or 9 completes a straight) is strong enough to raise 2x on the flop against the house dealer.

3-8 offsuit is far below the 4x opening range (33+, any ace, K2s+, etc.), so checking to see the flop and keep the option to raise 2x is the better choice.

My 8-high with a 3 has no pair and no real draw on the 5-6-2 flop, so I'd rather keep the bet small and decide on the river with full information.

Dealer always qualifies on this board, and my pair of 2s with Q-8-6 kickers wins often enough that raising 1x (about -8.5 expected) beats folding, which loses the ante and blind for a sure -20.

Seven-five offsuit is far below the published 4x raise range, so checking keeps the option to act on the flop without risking extra chips preflop.

With 5-7 offsuit against an 8-2-J board I have only a weak high card and no real draw, so I check and keep the option to fold on the river rather than risk two ante units.

I hold a pair of sevens with a jack kicker on the river. Folding forfeits the ante and blind for certain, while calling risks only the play bet and wins often enough that the raise has higher expected value.

Pocket deuces fall outside the published 4x preflop range, so checking keeps the option to raise 2x on the flop without risking a 4x bet with a weak pair.

A pair of deuces on an ace-high, unpaired board is weak, so I'd rather keep the option to bet 1x on the river or fold than commit 2x now.

The board already makes aces and tens, and my twos add nothing, so my best hand is A-A-T-T with a 5 kicker. The dealer's best hand is at least that, so I can only tie, and the dealer wins most runouts. Folding loses 20 chips, while raising risks 30 chips for almost no tie chance.

6-J offsuit is below the published 4x preflop range (JTo and J8s+ are the lowest jacks), so I check and keep the option to raise 2x on the flop.

A pair of 2s with a jack kicker is a medium-strength made hand that is only modestly ahead of a random dealer hand, so I'll keep the option to raise 1x on the river once all five cards are known rather than committing 2x now.

I hold two pair, jacks and twos with a six kicker, which beats the dealer in roughly 79% of runouts since the dealer only beats me with a jack, trips, or a straight. Raising 1x has clearly higher expected value than folding.

King-three suited is in the published optimal 4x preflop range (K2s+), so raising four times the ante has positive expected value here.

Tc9s is not in the published optimal 4x preflop range, so I check and keep the option to raise 2x on the flop.

T-9 high with no made pair is too weak to justify a 2x flop raise, so I'll check and reassess on the river with more information.

I have a pair of tens with a queen kicker on a paired-free board, which should win well over half the time against the dealer. Raising 1x beats folding, which surrenders the ante and blind for certain.

King-Jack suited clears the published optimal 4x preflop range (J8s+ and K2s+), so raising four times the ante is the +EV play over checking.

T9s is below the published 4x preflop range (J8s+ or JTo, K2s+, Q6s+), so checking keeps the option to continue on the flop at a lower cost.

Ten-nine of hearts with the seven of hearts makes only a three-heart flush draw and a weak straight draw, which is not strong enough to justify a 2x raise on the flop. Checking keeps the option to fold or raise 1x on the river with all five cards visible.

I hold two pair (sevens and threes, ten kicker) and the dealer always qualifies on this board. Raising wins about 22% and loses about 71%, roughly -17 chips in expectation, versus a certain -20 for folding.

Jack-ten suited is well above the published optimal 4x opening range (J8s+), so raising four times the ante is the +EV play against the dealer.

J8 offsuit is below the published 4x preflop range, so checking keeps the ante and blind at lower risk and leaves the flop option open.

Pair of eights with a king kicker is likely ahead of the dealer's random hand often enough that a 2x play bet on the flop has positive expected value, and the dealer qualifies most of the time.

Q2 offsuit is below the published 4x preflop range (Q8o+ minimum), so checking keeps the option to act on the flop without risking extra chips preflop.

Queen-high with no pair and a weak draw on a 4-6-8 board is well below the value of a 2x flop raise, so I check and keep the option to decide on the river with all five cards.

Pair of eights on board with a Q kicker is a modest hand, but folding loses the ante and blind for certain (-2 ante units), while raising wins about 30% of the time for +2 and loses about 70% for -3, an expected value near -1.5.

Jack-queen offsuit clears the published optimal 4x preflop range (JTo and better), so raising four times the ante is the standard play.