theres a time to play tight and a time to place loose. Pick and choose your spots to make a play at a pot. Think of plays you made earlier in the game and how the betting pattern went, say you flat called the flop with a set then raised the turn before. If they are betting weakly (i.e. betting less on the turn than they did on the flop) you might raise here and u can probably take down the pot. Bet aggressively when other players are obviously on draws, especially the river chasers. I mean bet with any 2 cards and if by the river their draw hasnt obviously hit, bet the river too and watch them fold. Raise up people that min-bet, you should always try to make a play at the pot if the pot is big enough. This will give you more action when you actually do catch the nuts. One thing I always see people do is... all throughout a tournament they will C-bet... then when they catch a big hand like a set of aces or kings they'll check the flop, I mean come on now, you lead out the flop every time you preflop raise and now all the sudden you check? You gotta bet into these hands or any player worth his will smell you out. You have to always keep them guessing. Does he have an overpair this time or just 2 big cards? Did he catch the straight or hit his set? Chronic slowplayers are all too predictable. Slowplaying is bad and is NOT a way to consistently get your big hands paid off. I mean sure it has its place, A well placed check-raise here and there to throw your opponets off can be a good move. Just know your opponets. Check out which ones are always on draws, these are your chip banks. Bet each street in a heads up pot with them, (if you put them on a draw) you want to create a situation that is uncallable for them, thats the key. Another thing is I wont check to a 3rd card of a suit hitting, I'll still lead out and if i get raised than its time to think about it. Too many players respect the flush waaay too much. Just because 2 clubs are on the board your opponet has 2 clubs in his hand? Basically, you have to give action to get action.
On a sidenote, I've seen people LIMP from ALL positions today with AA on several occasions. They wont even re-raise just smooth call. They'll limp from the back with 4 ppl already in the pot. Just watch out for the check-raise all-in on the flop and dont call it if u cant beat an overpair. This is an observation from 5 and 10 sng's on party.
