Showdown Hold'em table

T8 offsuit is outside the published 4x range (no pair, no ace, below K/Q/J thresholds), so checking preserves the option to raise later with more information.

No pair and no draw on this flop, so a 2x raise is not justified; check and reassess on the river.

Board pair of fives means the dealer always qualifies, and 8h-Ts only makes fives with T-8 kickers. I beat just 136 of 990 dealer holdings and the 1x raise EV is about -22.9 versus -20 for folding.

Pocket fives are in the published optimal 4x range (33+), so I raise the maximum preflop.

85 offsuit is far below the optimal preflop 4x range (no pair, no ace, and neither card is high enough), so checking preserves the option to raise later only if the board improves.

I have only an open-ended straight draw with no pair, so checking keeps the river fold option and avoids a 2x bet that loses too often when the draw misses.

Pair of fives still wins often enough versus a random dealer holding: folding locks in −20, while a 1x raise is about −12, so calling is clearly better.

K9o is in the published optimal 4x range (K5o+), so I raise the maximum preflop rather than check.

9-3 offsuit is well below the published optimal 4x range (no pair, no ace, and neither card is high enough), so checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves.

No pair and no draw on Ah-Js-7c, so a 2x raise has poor equity versus the dealer; check and decide on the river.

Pair of threes beats unpaired dealer hands and pocket deuces often enough that a 1x raise (about -12 chips) loses less than folding (-20).

Pocket jacks are in the published optimal 4x range (33+), so I raise the maximum preflop.

9h6h is suited but below the published 4x range (no pair, no ace, and not K/Q/J suited strength), so checking preserves the option to raise 2x on a favorable flop.

Pair of sixes with a nine kicker and no club is too weak on this monotone board to commit a 2x raise; check and reassess on the river.

Pair of sixes wins or ties about 600 of 990 dealer holdings, including every non-qualifying hand, so a 1x raise is far better than folding for -20.

Q4 offsuit is below the published preflop 4x range (Q8o+), so checking preserves the option to raise later with more information.

Top pair with a weak kicker on a monotone flop is too vulnerable to flushes and better kickers to commit a 2x raise; checking preserves a river decision.

Pair of queens beats most non-flush dealer holdings. Exact river enumeration gives about -7.7 chips versus -20 for a fold, so the 1x raise is clearly +EV.

T3o is well below the published preflop 4x range (no pair, no ace, and not a playable king/queen/jack), so checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves.

T3 offsuit has no pair, no flush draw, and no real straight draw on Q-6-4. Checking keeps the option to fold on the river if I miss.

Board queens mean both sides have at least a pair, and Tc-3d wins or ties about 89% of the 990 dealer holdings. A 1x raise is strongly +EV versus folding.

J4 offsuit is well below the published 4x range (JTo+), so checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves.

J4o has no pair and no meaningful draw on Q-T-7, so raising 2x is -EV; check and reassess on the river.

Dealer always qualifies with the board pair. Exact enumeration shows about 210 wins and 42 ties out of 990 holdings, so a 1x raise loses less than folding.

3-5 offsuit is far below the published preflop raising range, so checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves.

3-5 offsuit has no pair and no draw on K-7-8, so a 2x raise has poor equity. Check and reassess on the river.

The board pair of eights with king-seven-six plays for both of us, and my 3-5 does not improve it. The dealer ties only about 59 of 990 holdings and wins the rest, so a 1x raise is clearly negative EV versus folding.

AQo is in the published optimal 4x range (any ace), so I raise the maximum preflop rather than check.

T2 offsuit is well below the published 4x range (no pair, no ace, and not a suited or connected broadway hand), so checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves.

Board pair of nines with a ten kicker and no draw is too weak to commit a 2x raise; check and reassess on the river.

I have only a pair of nines with J-T-8 kickers. Against the 990 dealer holdings I win 144, tie 45 and lose 801, so a 1x raise is worth about -21.4 chips versus -20 for folding.

AKo is in the published optimal 4x range (any ace), so I raise the maximum preflop.

4-6 offsuit is well below the published optimal 4x range (33+, any ace, K2s+/K5o+, Q6s+/Q8o+, J8s+/JTo), so checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves.

4-6 offsuit has no pair, no flush draw, and no straight draw on QJ3. Checking preserves the option to fold on the river if the hand does not improve.

Pair of sixes beats all high-card and lower-pair dealer holdings. Raising loses less than folding across the 990 dealer hands, so the 1x play bet is the better call.

J5 offsuit is outside the published optimal preflop 4x range (J8s+ or JTo), so checking preserves the option to raise later with more information.

Pair of jacks is a clear favorite against a random dealer hand on this dry board, so the 2x play bet is +EV versus checking and only raising 1x later.

Any ace is in the published optimal 4x range, so I raise the maximum preflop.

KJo is in the published optimal 4x range (K5o+), so raising the maximum preflop is the correct play.

Q6 offsuit is below the published 4x range (Q8o+ or Q6s+), so checking preserves the option to raise 2x only if the flop connects.

Queen-high with no pair and no flush or straight draw on K-8-5 is too weak to raise 2x; checking preserves the option to fold or raise 1x on the river.

We have a pair of eights with KQJ kickers. Against the 990 dealer holdings we win 291 and tie 74, so a 1x raise loses about 13 chips in expectation versus 20 for folding.

T2 offsuit is outside the published 4x range (no pair, no ace, and not a qualifying king/queen/jack hand), so checking preserves the option to raise later with more information.

Four clubs but only the deuce, so a made flush still loses to any dealer club, and there is no pair or straight. Checking keeps the option to bet 1x only when the river is worth it instead of committing 2x on a draw that wins about one time in five.

I have an ace-high club flush, which wins against all 666 dealer holdings with no club and loses only to the 324 holdings with a club. That is about 67% equity, and the flush also pays the blind 3:2, so a 1x raise is clearly +EV versus folding.

Q2 offsuit is below the published 4x range (Q8o+ / Q6s+), so checking preserves the option to raise later with more information.

Q2 on A44 is only a weak pair of fours with no draw, so a 2x raise is not justified; checking keeps the river fold option.

Board is always at least aces and fours, so the dealer always qualifies. With queen kicker I win 401 of 990 holdings, tie 85 and lose 504; raising loses about 7 chips in expectation versus 20 by folding.

A6o is in the published optimal 4x range (any ace), so I raise the maximum preflop.

74s is well below the published preflop 4x range (no pair, no ace, and not a qualifying king/queen/jack hand), so checking preserves the option to raise 2x on a favorable flop.

Four clubs is the nut flush draw, a standard positive-EV 2x flop raise versus checking to the river.

89o is outside the published optimal 4x range (no pair, no ace, and not a qualifying king, queen, or jack hand), so checking preserves the option to raise later with more information.

Flopped jack-high straight is a favorite even on a three-diamond board; the river fold option is almost never used, so betting 2x now earns more than checking and raising 1x later.

Pocket sevens are in the published optimal 4x range (33+), so I raise the maximum preflop rather than check.

Q7 offsuit is below the published optimal 4x range (Q8o+ or Q6s+), so checking preserves the option to raise later with more information.

Q7 offsuit has no pair and no draw on 9-5-4, so a 2x raise is -EV. Check and reassess on the river.

Queen-high loses to 841 of 990 dealer holdings, including 625 qualifying hands, so a 1x raise is about 1.9 chips worse than folding.

KQo is in the published optimal 4x range (K5o+), so I raise the maximum preflop.

56s is below the published optimal 4x range (no pair, no ace, and not a qualifying king/queen/jack hand), so checking preserves the option to raise later with more information.

Combo flush draw plus an eight for a straight is about 13 outs with two cards to come, and a made flush or straight also pays the blind. That is strong enough to raise 2x rather than check.

T9o is outside the published optimal 4x range (needs JTo+ among offsuit broadways), so check and decide later with more information.

Two pair (tens and nines) is ahead of most dealer holdings and draws; raising 2x is the higher-EV line versus checking to the river.

9-5 offsuit is well below the published preflop 4x range (no pair, no ace, and neither suited nor connected enough), so checking preserves the option to raise later only if the board improves.

9-5 offsuit has no pair and no meaningful draw on A-Q-6, so a 2x raise is -EV. Check and reassess on the river.

Ace-high with a 9 kicker loses to every qualifying dealer and to most live kickers, so a 1x raise is worse than surrendering the ante and blind.