Showdown Hold'em table

T8 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range, so checking preserves the option to raise after seeing the flop.

T-8 has no pair or immediate draw on this A-6-5 rainbow flop. Checking avoids committing a 2x raise with a weak hand and leaves the river decision open.

My pair of fives with an ace and ten kicker can beat enough dealer holdings to make the 1x raise better than folding.

Pocket fives are in the published optimal 4x preflop range. Raising now has higher expected value than waiting for later streets.

Eight-five offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise. Checking keeps the option to raise on a favorable flop.

The open-ended straight draw is promising, but I have only eight-high now. Checking lets me see whether the turn and river improve my hand before committing a play bet.

My pair of fives beats the dealer’s unpaired hands, and a call needs to win only a modest fraction of the time to outperform folding.

K9 offsuit is strong enough for the recommended preflop 4x raise.

Nine-three offsuit is outside the profitable preflop raising range; checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

With no pair or strong draw on this flop, a 2x raise risks too much. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

My pair of threes beats the dealer’s unpaired hands often enough to make the river raise better than folding.

Pocket jacks are a strong preflop pair and comfortably qualify for the optimal 4x raise.

Nine-six suited is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

Middle pair is strong enough to commit on the flop, despite the three-club board. Raising now captures more value when it holds up.

Q4 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

Top pair on the flop is strong enough to raise for value, despite the three diamonds and weak kicker.

T-3 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range, so checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

Ten-three has no pair and only a remote backdoor straight possibility on this flop. Checking avoids committing a 2x raise with a weak hand.

My pair of queens has only a ten kicker, and many dealer holdings make two pair or have a higher kicker. The chance of winning is too low to justify the river bet.

J♦4♥ offsuit is below the profitable preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or make a smaller river decision.

J-high with no made hand or immediate straight or flush draw is too weak to justify a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

The paired board gives me queens with a jack kicker. Although many dealer hands beat it, enough lower unpaired hands lose—and some jack-high hands tie—that raising has better expected value than folding.

An offsuit 5-3 is too weak for a preflop raise; checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves it.

With no pair and only weak backdoor straight possibilities, raising 2x on this flop is unlikely to be profitable. Checking preserves the option to decide after seeing the full board.

My best hand is the board's pair of eights. The dealer can only tie or beat it, so raising cannot win chips.

Ace-queen offsuit is strong enough to raise 4x preflop under the optimal starting-hand strategy.

T2 offsuit falls well below the profitable preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

On this paired flop, T-2 has only a weak kicker and no spade draw. Checking avoids committing a 2x play bet before seeing the turn and river.

My pair of nines has a weak kicker, and the dealer beats or ties it with many possible hole cards. A 1x raise is unlikely to recover its cost.

Ace-king offsuit is a strong preflop hand and is in the optimal 4x raising range.

6-4 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

With 6-high, no pair, and only runner-runner draw possibilities, raising 2x on this flop is unlikely to be profitable. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

My pair of sixes can beat the dealer's unpaired hands and some pairs of threes. Raising has better expected value than folding away the ante and blind.

J5 offsuit is outside the recommended preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

Top pair on an unpaired, rainbow flop is strong enough to make the 2x raise now rather than wait for a river decision.

Any ace is in the recommended preflop 4x range; A-3 offsuit is strong enough to raise now.

KJo is in the recommended preflop 4x raising range, and raising now captures more value than waiting.

Q6 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

Queen-high on a king-high flop has no pair or strong draw. Checking preserves the option to make a smaller river bet if the hand improves.

My queen kicker improves the board’s pair of eights. Against the dealer’s unknown hand, raising has better expected value than forfeiting the ante and blind.

T2 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise; checking preserves the option to act on the flop.

The low club gives me a flush draw, but the flush could easily be beaten, and I have no pair or immediate straight draw. Checking preserves the option to raise on the river if the hand improves.

I have an ace-high flush. The dealer needs a club to beat it, so raising is better than folding.

Q2 offsuit is too weak for a profitable preflop raise. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

Q-2 has no strong improvement on the A-4-4 flop. Checking avoids committing a 2x play bet and preserves the river decision.

My queen is a strong kicker for the board’s two pair. The dealer has many possible holdings that lose, making the raise better than folding.

Any ace is in the published optimal preflop 4x range, including A6 offsuit.

7♣4♣ is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

The low flush draw has potential, but 7-high is weak on an ace-queen board. Checking preserves the option to fold on the river if the draw misses.

I have an ace-high flush. The dealer needs two clubs to make a competing flush, so raising is strongly favored over folding.

Offsuit 9-8 is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop.

I have a made jack-high straight on the flop. Despite the three diamonds, raising now has strong expected value.

Pocket sevens are in the recommended preflop 4x-raise range. Raising now captures their equity before unfavorable community cards can arrive.

Q7 offsuit is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

Queen-high has no pair or immediate draw on this flop, so committing a 2x raise is unlikely to be profitable. Checking preserves the option to decide on the river.

I have only queen-high on the river, and too few dealer holdings lose to it to justify the final bet.

K-Q offsuit is a strong preflop hand and falls within the recommended 4x raising range.

Suited 5-6 is below the recommended preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise if the flop improves the hand.

The flush draw and eight-out straight draw give this hand strong potential over two cards, making the 2x raise preferable to waiting for the river.

T9 offsuit is outside the recommended preflop 4x raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or decide on the river.

Top two pair is strong enough to raise on the flop despite the three-heart board and no heart in my hand.

Nine-five offsuit is outside the profitable preflop raising range. Checking preserves the option to raise on a favorable flop or river.

Nine-high on an ace-queen flop is too weak to commit a 2x raise. Checking preserves the option to decide after seeing the full board.

I have only ace-high on a board where the dealer can beat me with many pairs or higher kickers. The chance of winning is too low to justify the river raise.