[FeelnAcey]

In online poker, IMPLIED ODDS are a more important consideration than in offline poker. The reason is because of the common LOOSE-AGGRESSIVE style of play... When you make a significant bet, your chances of getting action are much higher than in your average home game or casino. That's why I like to limp-in with suited connectors... because if I hit my flush or straight I'm CONFIDENT that I'm going to win a huge pot from someone. The key is to NOT "chase" your outs. Don't stay in a hand and call all way down to the river with your draws... it's not worth it. Bet the draw upfront, and if you get raised just muck it. As for your question regarding pairs... It sounds to me like you're playing RING GAMES and not Sit and Go's. When I play a low-stakes ring game, my strategy is about the same as yours. The biggest difference for me is that I hate getting up and moving tables so frequently. I've found that when players begin losing money to you, they often WON'T STOP. They'll just keep losing money... DETERMINED to beat you. And of course, that's when you get the WINDFALL of profits from them... since they're on tilt and OUTRAGED that they can't seem to break you. What I'll do is show an occasional bluff... or even get busted on a bluff... that way they remain confused about my style of play. Remember: No limit Texas Holdem is PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE. As soon as you find a "fish" you can consistently beat, don't leave! Just keep playing until THEY decide enough is enough. OK, back to pairs. When I'm in a ring game, I will call small raises with pocket pairs, in hopes of busting my opponents. But in Sit and Go's I'm more cautious. And the reason is simple... In RING GAMES, I'll often play the "odds". Yes, there's a 1 in 8 chance that I'll make my trips. And so I'll play my pairs and take down huge pots when I hit. But in SIT And GO'S I can't always afford to put my chips into the middle. Remember, there's only ONE MAIN STRATEGY for Sit and Go's: SURVIVAL. If you don't make it to the top three players in a 10-man Sit and Go, you're not in the money, which means you've FAILED. And in your average Sit and Go, you'll probably only get a pocket pair once or twice (or maybe a few times if you're lucky) before the field gets down to three players. So what I've found is that it's often better for me to LIMP-IN with my pocket pair and hope for trips. If someone makes a decent raise, I'll usually muck it unless I'm the chip leader.

Roy Rounder