Showdown Hold'em table

Unsuited 5-4 is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to bet after seeing the board without committing extra chips now.

With 4-5 on an A-T-7 rainbow flop, I have no pair and only a backdoor straight possibility. Checking avoids an unfavorable 2x commitment and preserves the option to raise or fold on the river.

My best hand plays the board, so I cannot beat any dealer holding. Ties are too infrequent to justify risking the additional river bet.

Pocket queens are a premium starting hand and fall comfortably within the optimal 4x preflop raising range. Raising the maximum to 40 chips maximizes expected value.

Ace-ten offsuit is a clear 4x raise under the optimal preflop strategy. Raising the maximum exploits its advantage against a random dealer hand.

Pocket sevens are in the optimal preflop 4x raising range (33+). Raise the maximum 40 chips to maximize expected value.

A9 offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range, which includes every ace. Raising the maximum maximizes expected chips.

Four-three offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Check to see the flop before committing a play bet.

With 4-3 on an A-Q-J rainbow flop, I have no pair or meaningful draw. Checking avoids a poor-value 2x wager and preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

Two pair, fours and threes, beats all dealer high-card and one-pair hands on this board. Raising has higher expected value than surrendering the ante and blind.

Ten-three suited falls outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing extra chips now.

A pair of tens using a hole card is strong enough for the flop raise against a random dealer hand. The three-club board adds risk, but checking is too cautious with middle pair.

Q5 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of Q8 offsuit. Checking preserves the option to bet after seeing the flop.

The pair of kings is shared, and my queen kicker with a weak five does not justify a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to make a better-informed river decision.

My queen kicker wins against enough dealer holdings to justify the final bet. Raising has higher expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

Ten-seven suited is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Ten-high with no pair, flush draw, or viable straight draw is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

With only king-jack-ten high and no pair, our showdown equity is too low to justify the final raise. Folding has higher expected value than risking another ante.

Five-four offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing extra chips now.

A pair of fives is middle pair on this flop, made using a hole card. That is strong enough to raise 2x rather than defer the decision to the river.

T5 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing additional chips now.

A pair of tens made with a hole card is strong enough to raise on this flop. Betting 2x now has better expected value than waiting for the river’s smaller bet.

K2 offsuit falls below the optimal preflop raising threshold of K5 offsuit. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

King-high with a weak kicker and only a backdoor flush draw is not strong enough for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

I have a king-high flush, which beats the vast majority of dealer holdings and earns a 3:2 blind payout when it wins. Raising has substantially higher expected value than folding.

Eight-deuce suited is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing extra chips now.

With no pair and only backdoor straight and flush possibilities, this hand is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

The board's pair of threes leaves me with only an eight kicker beyond the ace and ten. Against the 990 possible dealer holdings, only 84 win and 45 tie, so raising loses more on average than folding.

Seven-two offsuit is well outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking avoids committing extra chips with a weak hand and preserves the option to raise after seeing the board.

With 7-2, I have no pair and only backdoor straight and flush possibilities. Checking avoids a weak 2x commitment and preserves the option to raise or fold after the full board is revealed.

My best hand is the board’s pair of fives with J-9-8 kickers, so I cannot beat the dealer—only tie or lose. Ties are too infrequent to justify risking the additional play bet.

Eight-six offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing more chips now.

Eight-high with no pair and only backdoor straight possibilities is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

The paired board guarantees dealer qualification, and my eight-six kickers beat very few dealer holdings. Calling has lower expected value than losing only the ante and blind.

8-3 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves the hand.

The only made pair is on the board, and my low hole cards offer only backdoor straight and flush possibilities. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board without committing a 2x bet now.

My hole cards do not improve the board, so I can only tie or lose. Raising returns an expected loss of about 23.91 chips versus the guaranteed 20-chip loss from folding.

A7 offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range, which includes every ace. Raising 40 chips maximizes expected value.

King-seven offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x range (K5o or better). Raising four times the ante maximizes expected chips.

Nine-three offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves the hand.

The pair of sixes is shared, and my nine-high hole cards provide no strong made hand or immediate draw. Checking avoids a weak 2x wager and preserves the option to raise or fold on the river.

Two pair, sixes and threes, beats enough dealer holdings to justify the 10-chip raise. Since the board guarantees dealer qualification, only a 20% win rate is needed absent ties to outperform folding.

6-5 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after a favorable flop without committing extra chips now.

The pair of nines is shared, and 6-5 provides weak kickers with no straight or flush draw. Checking avoids a poor 2x commitment and preserves the river decision.

Your hole cards do not improve the board, so you cannot win outright. Only about 13% of dealer holdings tie; raising therefore loses more on average than folding.

Seven-deuce suited is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand without committing extra chips now.

A pair of sevens made with a hole card is strong enough for the flop raise against a random dealer hand. The backdoor spade-flush possibility adds a little extra value.

K3 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of K5 offsuit. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

King-high with no pair or immediate straight or flush draw is too weak for a 2x flop raise. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the complete board.

King-high does not win often enough against the dealer’s possible holdings to justify calling. Folding loses 20 chips, slightly less than the approximately 20.43-chip expected loss from raising.

J2 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing more chips to a weak hand.

The pair of sixes is shared, and J-2 adds only a jack kicker with no meaningful draw. Checking avoids committing a 2x bet with a weak hand and preserves the river decision.

Your pair of sixes with a jack kicker wins or ties often enough to justify the final 10 chips. Raising has a higher expected value than forfeiting the 20-chip ante and blind.

Q6 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of Q8 offsuit. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Queen-high with no pair or immediate straight or flush draw is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

A pair of queens beats enough dealer holdings, including lower pairs and unpaired hands, to justify the final 1x bet. Despite the straight and flush threats, raising has higher expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

Unsuited 5-3 is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after improving without committing extra chips now.

I have an open-ended straight draw but no made pair, and the two-spade board adds risk. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board rather than committing 2x now.

The pair of fives wins against 229 of 990 possible dealer holdings and ties 14. Raising has an expected net loss of about 20.23 chips, slightly worse than folding for a 20-chip loss.

Q6 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of Q8 offsuit. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

The pair is entirely on the board, and Q6 has neither a strong kicker nor a flush or straight draw. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the final two cards without committing a 2x bet now.

The board pair guarantees dealer qualification, and my queen kicker beats enough unpaired dealer holdings to justify calling. A 1x raise has higher expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

J7 offsuit falls below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing additional chips now.

With no pair, no flush draw, and only backdoor straight possibilities, this hand is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

The dealer always qualifies on this paired board, and your hand wins against 256 of 990 possible holdings, with 9 ties. Raising has an expected net loss of about 16.8 chips, better than the certain 20-chip loss from folding.

8-6 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing more chips now.

With eight-high, no pair, and no immediate straight or flush draw, this hand is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to make a smaller river bet if the board improves our prospects or fold otherwise.

My hole cards do not improve the board, so I cannot win outright. Only 201 of 990 dealer holdings tie; raising has an expected loss of about 23.91 chips, versus 20 chips for folding.

A9 offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range, which includes every ace. Raising the maximum maximizes expected chips.

Ten-four offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing more chips to a weak hand.

Two pair, tens and fours, is a strong flop hand against a random dealer holding. Raising now maximizes value while retaining chances to improve to a full house or four of a kind.