Showdown Hold'em table

J5 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Two pair, jacks and fives, is a strong made hand on this rainbow flop. Raising 2x now maximizes value against the dealer’s random holding.

Nine-five offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to bet after seeing the flop without committing more chips now.

With nine-high, 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.

My two pair, jacks and nines, beats enough dealer holdings to make calling more profitable than folding. The board guarantees dealer qualification, so only a 20% win rate is needed absent ties.

Pocket queens are a premium starting hand and clearly qualify for the optimal preflop 4x raise. Betting the maximum exploits their strong advantage against a random dealer hand.

K8 offsuit falls within the optimal preflop 4x raising range (K5 offsuit or better). Raising the maximum maximizes expected chips.

J8 offsuit falls below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Top pair with a hole-card jack is strong enough to raise against the dealer's random holding. Betting 2x now captures more value than waiting for the river's smaller wager.

Eight-six offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the board.

I have no pair and only a gutshot straight draw, with a seven completing the straight. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold on the river without committing two antes to a weak hand.

I have only king-high, and any queen, ace, or dealer pair beats me. Too few dealer holdings lose or tie to justify the additional river bet.

Pocket threes meet the optimal preflop 4x threshold of 33 or better. Raising the maximum follows the expected-value-maximizing strategy.

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

K6 offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range (K5 offsuit or better). Raise 40 chips to maximize expected value.

Q-J offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Raising the maximum maximizes expected chips with this hand.

King-five offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Raise 40 chips to maximize expected value.

Q2 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of Q8 offsuit. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

With no pair and no immediate straight or flush draw, this hand is too weak to justify a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to make a smaller raise or fold after seeing the full board.

Raising narrowly beats folding: across 990 possible dealer holdings, there are 204 wins and 21 ties. Accounting for dealer qualification, the expected loss is about 19.59 chips versus 20 chips for folding.

Eight-two suited is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves the hand.

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

With only queen-high and a weak eight kicker, this hand beats very few dealer holdings. Raising has lower expected value than accepting the ante-and-blind loss.

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

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

Despite the four-diamond board, the pair of tens beats enough dealer holdings to make calling more valuable than folding and forfeiting both initial bets.

Q5 suited falls just below the optimal preflop raising threshold of Q6 suited. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

A pair of fives using a hole card, with a queen kicker, is strong enough for the 2x flop raise against a random dealer hand. Betting now has better expected value than waiting for the river.

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

Top pair on a dry, unpaired flop is strong enough to raise for value against the dealer's random holding. Raising now has higher expected value than waiting for the river.

J4 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to bet after seeing the flop without committing additional chips now.

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

The board's pair of threes leaves only a jack kicker, winning against 132 of 990 possible dealer holdings and tying 21. Raising loses about 22.7 chips on average versus the fixed 20-chip loss from folding.

K6 suited is within the optimal preflop 4x raising range, which includes every suited king. Raising the maximum is the best expected-value action.

Pocket fives fall within the optimal preflop 4x range of pocket threes or better. Raise the maximum 40 chips to maximize expected value.

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

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

The board's pair of twos with my king kicker beats enough unpaired dealer holdings to justify calling. Raising 1x has higher expected value than surrendering the ante and blind.

Suited 4-2 is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after a favorable flop without committing extra chips now.

Pairing the four gives a made pair using a hole card, which is strong enough for the standard 2x flop raise. Despite the weak kicker, betting now has better expected value than waiting.

J5 suited is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of J8 suited. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

With no pair, no flush draw, and only runner-runner 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 pair of jacks has enough showdown value to justify the final 1x bet despite the straight and flush threats. Raising has higher expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

K6 offsuit falls within the optimal preflop 4x raising range (K5 offsuit or better). Raising the maximum maximizes expected chips.

T3 offsuit falls outside the optimal preflop raising range. Check to see the flop before committing a play bet.

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

I have a six-high straight, which beats the vast majority of dealer holdings and earns a 1:1 blind payout when it wins. Raising has much higher expected value than folding.

Q7 suited falls within the optimal preflop 4x range (Q6 suited or better). Raising the maximum maximizes expected value.

A6 offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range, which includes every ace. Raise 40 chips to maximize expected value.

5-2 offsuit is well outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to bet after seeing the board without committing more chips now.

With five-high, no pair, and no immediate straight or flush draw, raising would commit extra chips with a weak hand. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

The pair of twos beats enough unpaired dealer holdings to make calling profitable relative to folding. Raising has a higher expected chip return than surrendering the ante and blind.

Pocket sixes fall within the optimal preflop 4x raising range of pocket threes or better. Raising the maximum maximizes expected chips.

Nine-two offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking avoids committing additional chips with a weak hand and preserves the option to raise after improvement.

Top pair gives sufficient equity against the dealer’s random holding to raise for value. The coordinated board and weak kicker add risk, but do not outweigh the benefit of betting 2x now.

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

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

Against the 990 possible dealer holdings, 220 win for us and 45 tie. Raising has an expected net loss of about 17.53 chips, better than the guaranteed 20-chip loss from folding.