Showdown Hold'em table

J6 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

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

My pair of nines with a jack kicker loses to too many higher kickers, two-pair hands, and straights. The chance of winning is below the roughly 20% needed to justify the river raise.

Ace-king suited is a premium hand and comfortably meets the optimal preflop 4x raising criteria. Raising the maximum captures its strong advantage against a random dealer hand.

J4 suited is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of J8 suited. Check to see the flop before committing a play bet.

Jack-high with a gutshot straight draw and backdoor club potential is too weak to justify a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

With the board's pair of sevens and my jack kicker, enough dealer holdings lose or tie to make calling better than folding. Counting those outcomes gives an expected loss of about 18.78 chips versus 20 chips for folding.

A5 offsuit is a 4x raise under the optimal preflop table, which recommends the maximum raise with any ace.

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

Top pair using a hole card is strong enough to raise on this flop. Betting 2x captures value against the dealer’s many unpaired holdings.

J2 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold. Checking preserves the option to raise after a favorable flop without committing extra chips now.

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

Ace-high with a jack kicker loses to any dealer pair, any king or queen, and some straights. The remaining chance of winning is too small to justify the river raise.

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

Middle pair using a hole card is strong enough to raise on this dry flop. Betting 2x captures value against the dealer’s many unpaired holdings.

Suited 7-6 is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing more chips now.

Middle pair using a hole card is strong enough to raise on this flop. Betting 2x captures its advantage against the dealer’s many unpaired holdings.

A5 offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range, which includes every ace. Raising the maximum maximizes expected chips.

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

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

I have an open-ended straight draw but only ace-high currently. Checking preserves the option to raise after improving without committing an extra two antes to an unmade hand.

I have an ace-high flush with the 6♥ playing. Only a dealer holding a higher unexposed heart can beat it, so raising is clearly more profitable than folding.

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

Jack-high with no pair or direct straight or flush draw is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to fold or make a smaller river bet after seeing the remaining cards.

Only ace-high with a jack kicker is available, and the dealer wins with any pair, any five, or a queen. Too few dealer holdings lose to justify the final 1x raise.

K9 suited is within the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Raising the maximum maximizes expected chips with this hand.

Suited 8-7 is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after a favorable flop without committing extra chips now.

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

With only ace-high and weak kickers, too few dealer holdings lose or tie. Raising has lower expected value than accepting the ante-and-blind loss.

A4 offsuit is a maximum-raise hand under the optimal preflop strategy, which raises 4x with any ace.

J9 offsuit falls below the optimal preflop raising threshold of JT offsuit. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Jack-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.

Jack-high on this coordinated board beats too few dealer holdings. The expected return from a 1x raise is worse than accepting the ante-and-blind loss.

Six-three offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to bet after seeing the flop.

Pairing the three gives a made pair using a hole card, which is strong enough for the standard 2x flop raise. Raising has better expected value than waiting for the river.

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

Nine-high with no pair and only backdoor straight possibilities is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to make a river decision after seeing the remaining cards.

My pair of threes with J-9-5 kickers beats too few dealer holdings to justify calling. Folding has higher expected value than the 1x raise.

J6 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the board.

With only jack-high, no pair, and no immediate straight or flush draw, a 2x raise is not justified. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after the full board is revealed.

My jack kicker can beat enough dealer holdings on this double-paired board to justify calling. Raising has a higher expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

Pocket aces are the strongest starting hand. Raising the maximum 4x maximizes expected value against the dealer's random holding.

Ten-eight suited is outside the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Middle pair plus a ten-high spade flush draw is strong enough to raise on the flop. Betting 2x captures value from the made pair and substantial chances to improve.

Unsuited 4-3 is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves the hand.

The paired board gives everyone queens, while my low hole cards offer little showdown strength and only a backdoor flush draw. Checking preserves the option to fold unfavorable rivers rather than committing a 2x raise now.

My best hand is the board’s pair of queens, so I cannot beat any dealer holding and can only tie or lose. Folding avoids risking another 10 chips on a strongly negative-expectation raise.

King-jack offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Raising the maximum maximizes expected value with this strong starting hand.

Ace-queen offsuit is a strong starting hand and falls within the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Raising the maximum maximizes expected value against the dealer's random holding.

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

King-queen offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Raising the maximum maximizes expected value with this strong starting hand.

T6 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after a favorable flop without committing more chips now.

Ten-high with no pair or immediate straight or flush draw is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to reassess on the river without risking more chips now.

My best hand plays the board, but roughly half of dealer holdings tie. Raising loses about 14.8 chips on average versus the guaranteed 20-chip loss from folding.

Offsuit 5-4 is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise later if the board improves the hand.

With only five-high, no pair, and no immediate straight or flush draw, a 2x raise is not justified. Checking preserves the option to raise if the board improves or fold on the river.

My pair of sevens with a five kicker beats very few dealer holdings. Calling has much lower expected value than folding and losing only the ante and blind.

A4 offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range, which includes every ace. Raising the maximum maximizes expected chips.

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

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

With two pair on the board and a jack kicker, enough dealer holdings lose or tie to make the 1x raise substantially better than folding.