Showdown Hold'em table

J4 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 and only backdoor draws is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to reassess on the river without committing more chips now.

I have only king-high with a jack kicker and no made pair. Too many dealer holdings beat this hand, so calling the final bet has lower expected value than folding.

Nine-three offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing more chips now.

Nine-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.

Ten-high with a nine kicker beats very few dealer holdings on this board. The expected return from a 1x raise is worse than surrendering the ante and blind.

K5 suited is within the optimal preflop 4x raising range (K2 suited or better), so raising the maximum maximizes expected chips.

Jack-ten suited is within the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Raising the maximum maximizes expected value with this hand.

King-four offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of king-five offsuit. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the board.

King-high with no pair, flush draw, or immediate straight draw is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to make a smaller river bet if the runout warrants it.

I have aces and threes with a king kicker, beating most unpaired dealer holdings and tying other king-kicker hands. Calling has substantially higher expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

5-3 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to bet after seeing the community cards.

A pair of fives made with a hole card meets the standard flop threshold for a 2x raise. Betting now has better expected value than waiting for the river.

Nine-seven offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop without committing extra chips now.

Middle pair made with a hole card is strong enough to raise on this dry flop. Betting 2x captures its equity advantage rather than waiting for the river.

J3 suited is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of J8 suited. Check to see the flop before committing a play bet.

A pair of threes made with a hole card is strong enough for the 2x flop raise. Raising now has higher expected value than waiting for the river.

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

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

Middle pair with a jack kicker on a dry flop is strong enough to raise for value against the dealer’s random holding. Raising now captures more value than waiting for the river.

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

The pair of sevens is shared, and ten-high hole cards offer little strength with no immediate straight or flush draw. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

I have a full house, sevens full of nines, which beats most dealer holdings and earns a 3:1 blind payout when it wins. Raising has substantially higher expected value than folding.

J6 suited falls below the optimal preflop raising threshold of J8 suited. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

The pair of queens is shared, and J6 provides neither a strong kicker nor a direct draw. Checking preserves the option to make the river decision with more information rather than committing a 2x raise now.

My three queens with king-jack kickers beat many unpaired dealer holdings and tie others. Calling has higher expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

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

A pair of fives using a hole card is strong enough to raise against a random dealer hand. Backdoor straight and diamond-flush possibilities add value to betting now.

Pocket aces are the strongest starting hand and a clear maximum preflop raise. Betting 4x maximizes expected value against the dealer’s random holding.

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

Q5 offsuit is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of Q8 offsuit. Check to evaluate the flop before committing a play bet.

Queen-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.

Raising is marginally better than folding: enumerating dealer holdings gives an expected net loss of about 19.87 chips, versus the certain 20-chip loss from folding.

A7 offsuit is a 4x raise under the optimal preflop table, which recommends raising any ace. Taking the maximum raise maximizes expected value.

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

Top pair on the flop is strong enough to raise against a random dealer hand, even with a weak kicker. Betting 2x captures that advantage rather than waiting for the smaller river bet.

8-3 offsuit 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 or flush draw is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to fold or make a smaller river bet if the board improves the hand.

My pair of twos with a queen-eight-six kicker loses to most dealer holdings, including any higher kicker or additional pair. The small chance of winning or tying does not justify the river bet.

7-5 offsuit is outside the optimal preflop raising range. Check to see the flop before committing a play bet.

Seven-high with no pair, no flush draw, and only a backdoor 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.

A pair of sevens beats enough dealer holdings to make calling more profitable than folding, despite the possible flushes, straights, and higher pairs.

Pocket deuces fall below the optimal preflop raising threshold of pocket threes. Checking preserves the option to raise after a favorable flop or fold on the river.

Pocket deuces are an underpair to every flop card, with no strong draw. Checking preserves the option to fold unfavorable runouts rather than committing a 2x raise now.

The board counterfeits my pocket twos, leaving me playing aces and tens with a five kicker. I cannot win outright and would lose against over 90% of dealer holdings, so folding has higher expected value.

J6 suited is below the optimal preflop raising threshold of J8 suited. Checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

The pair is on the board, and J6 provides only a weak kicker with backdoor draws. Checking preserves the option to raise or fold after seeing the full board.

Jacks and deuces with a six kicker beats most dealer holdings. Raising has substantially higher expected value than folding, which forfeits both posted bets.

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

Top pair plus a diamond flush draw is strong enough to raise for value against a random dealer hand. Raising now captures more value than waiting for the smaller river bet.

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

Ten-high on this rainbow flop has no pair or immediate straight draw. Checking preserves the option to make a river decision without committing a 2x raise with a weak hand.

A pair of tens beats enough dealer high-card hands and lower pairs to make the 1x raise more profitable than folding, despite possible queens, flushes, and stronger hands.

K-J suited is comfortably within the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Raising the maximum maximizes expected value with this strong starting hand.

T9 suited is outside the optimal preflop 4x raising range. Check to retain the option to raise after seeing the flop.

Ten-high with no pair and only a backdoor heart flush draw is too weak for a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to make a better-informed river decision.

With two pair and a ten kicker, I beat 204 and tie 66 of the 990 possible dealer holdings. Raising has a better expected result than folding, despite losing more often than winning.

J♣T♣ falls within the optimal preflop 4x raising range (J8s+). Raising the maximum maximizes expected chips with this suited connected hand.

J8 offsuit falls below the optimal preflop raising threshold for jack-high hands. Check to see the flop before committing a play bet.

A pair of eights using a hole card is strong enough to raise on this flop against a random dealer hand. Raising now captures value rather than waiting for potentially unfavorable turn and river cards.

Q2 offsuit falls below the optimal preflop raising threshold. Check to see the flop before committing a play bet.

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.

The queen kicker gives enough showdown value on this paired board to call. Winning roughly 28% of dealer holdings, with additional ties, makes raising more profitable than folding.

Q-J offsuit is in the optimal preflop 4x raising range (Q8o or better). Raising the maximum maximizes expected chip value.