Showdown Hold'em table

Offsuit 5-4 is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the board.

With five-high, no pair, and no viable straight or flush draw, a 2x raise is unfavorable. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

My hole cards do not improve the board, so I cannot beat the dealer and can only tie. Ties are too infrequent to justify risking another ante; folding has the higher expected value.

Pocket queens are a premium starting hand and comfortably meet the optimal preflop 4x raising threshold. Raising the maximum maximizes expected value against the dealer’s random hand.

Ace-ten offsuit is comfortably within the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Raising the maximum maximizes expected value with this strong starting hand.

Pocket sevens are comfortably within the optimal preflop 4x raising range of pocket threes or better. Raising the maximum captures their advantage against a random dealer hand.

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

Four-three offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after improving on the flop or river.

With only four-high hole cards on an ace-queen-jack flop, I have no pair or meaningful draw. Checking preserves the option to fold or make a smaller river raise after seeing the final board.

Two pair, fours and threes, beats most dealer holdings on this board. Raising has substantially higher expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

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

A pair of tens using a hole card is strong enough to raise against a random dealer hand. The monotone board adds risk, but the made pair still supports taking the larger flop bet.

Q5 offsuit falls below the optimal preflop raising threshold of Q8 offsuit. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the board.

The pair of kings is shared, and queen-high offers only modest kicker strength with no immediate straight or flush draw. Checking preserves the option to make a better-informed river decision.

With kings and an ace-queen kicker combination, we beat enough unpaired dealer holdings to justify the final bet. The dealer always qualifies on this board, and raising has higher expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

T♦7♦ is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Ten-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.

With only king-high and a ten kicker, every dealer pair and many unpaired holdings beat us. The chance of winning or tying is too low to justify the additional river bet.

Unsuited 5-4 is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after a favorable flop without committing extra chips now.

A pair of fives using a hole card is strong enough to raise on this flop. Betting 2x captures its current advantage over many unpaired dealer holdings.

T5 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves the hand.

A pair of tens using a hole card is strong enough to raise on this flop. Betting 2x captures its advantage against the dealer’s random holding rather than waiting for the river.

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

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

The king-high flush beats most dealer holdings and earns a 3:2 blind payout when it wins. Raising has substantially higher expected value than folding.

8♦2♦ is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves the hand.

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

Only the board’s pair of threes plays, with an eight kicker. Too many dealer holdings beat this hand for a 1x raise to be profitable.

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

With seven-high, no pair, and only backdoor draws, committing a 2x raise is unfavorable. Checking preserves the option to raise after improving or fold on the river.

My best hand is the board’s pair of fives, so I cannot beat the dealer and can only tie against weak holdings. The chance of a tie is too small to justify the additional bet.

Eight-six offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing additional 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.

My pair of sevens with jack-eight-six kickers wins too rarely against the dealer’s possible holdings. Raising has lower expected value than folding.

8-3 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising range. Check to see the flop without committing an additional bet.

The pair of sevens is shared, and my low hole cards offer only backdoor straight and flush possibilities. Checking preserves the option to make a better-informed river decision without committing a 2x raise now.

My best hand is the board’s pair of sevens with A-K-9 kickers, so I cannot beat the dealer. Only 201 of 990 dealer holdings tie; the rest win, making a raise worse than folding.

A7 offsuit is a 4x raise under the optimal preflop strategy, which raises every ace. Taking the maximum raise maximizes expected chips.

K7 offsuit falls within the optimal preflop 4x raising range (K5 offsuit or better). Raising the maximum maximizes expected chips.

Nine-three offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after a favorable flop or fold on the river.

The pair of sixes is on the board, and my weak kickers provide little showdown value with no strong draw. Checking preserves the option to make a better-informed river decision without committing a 2x raise.

My sixes and threes make two pair, beating enough dealer holdings to justify the final bet. With the dealer guaranteed to qualify, calling needs only a 20% win rate absent ties to outperform folding.

Six-five offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves the hand.

The pair of nines is shared, and my low hole cards offer little showdown strength or draw potential. Checking avoids committing a 2x raise and preserves the option to reassess on the river.

My hole cards do not improve the board, so I can only tie or lose. Too few dealer holdings tie to justify risking another 10 chips; folding has the higher expected value.

Seven-deuce suited is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves the hand.

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

K3 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of K5 offsuit. Check to preserve 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 raise. Checking preserves the option to make a better-informed river decision.

Calling has an expected net loss of about 18.90 chips, slightly better than folding for a certain 20-chip loss. King-high wins enough against unpaired dealer hands, and dealer nonqualification preserves the ante.

J2 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the board.

The pair of sixes is on the board, and J-2 adds little showdown strength with no meaningful draw. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the final board.

My jack kicker wins against enough unpaired lower holdings and ties some jack-high holdings. With the ante and blind already committed, raising has higher expected value than folding.

Q6 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of Q8 offsuit. Checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves the hand.

Queen-high with no pair, flush draw, or immediate straight draw is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to evaluate the completed board before committing more chips.

A pair of queens wins often enough against the dealer’s random holdings to justify the 1x raise. Despite the straight and flush threats, raising has higher expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

Unsuited 5-3 is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to bet after seeing the board without committing additional chips now.

With only five-high and an open-ended straight draw on a coordinated board, committing 2x now is too speculative. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

My pair of fives wins against only 229 of the 990 possible dealer holdings and ties 14. Raising has a slightly worse expected value than folding.

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

The paired board gives everyone a pair, while queen-six has no strong draw or private pair. Checking preserves the option to make a better-informed river decision rather than committing a 2x raise now.

The queen kicker beats enough dealer holdings on this paired board to justify calling. Raising has higher expected value than forfeiting both the ante and blind.

J7 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

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

Against 990 possible dealer holdings, this hand wins against 220 and ties against 69. Raising has an expected net loss of about 17.49 chips, better than losing 20 chips by folding.

8-6 offsuit falls outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Eight-high with no pair, flush draw, or immediate straight draw is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to make a better-informed river decision.

My hole cards do not improve the board, so I can only tie or lose. Raising loses against 789 of the 990 possible dealer holdings, making folding the higher-value choice.

A9 offsuit is a profitable maximum preflop raise under the optimal strategy, which raises 4x with any ace.

T4 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the board without committing more chips now.

Two pair, tens and fours, is a strong flop holding and warrants the maximum available raise. Raising now captures value while retaining chances to improve to a full house or four of a kind.