As you go up in limits..........

[Xaston]

It gets harder and harder to win by simply playing the best starting hands. You need to make thin value bets. You need to induce bluffs. You need to semi-bluff effectively, you need to bluff effectively. You need to know when to check raise top pair and when to lead out. In summary subtle post flop plays are just as important as hand selection, and more so at higher limits. At .50/$1 not everyone knows that Q7o is a losing hand. As you go up in limits, people realize its garbage and you need to find your edge from somewhere besides NOT playing the garbage they play. Here is a play I made today that I think is a good example.

Party Poker 10/20 Hold'em (6 max, 5 handed)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
2 folds, Hero raises, SB 3-bets, 1 fold, Hero caps, SB calls.

Flop: (9 SB) , , (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, SB calls.

Turn: (5.50 BB) (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.

River: (5.50 BB) (2 players)
SB bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 7.50 BB

Results in white below:
SB has Qc Js (one pair, fours).
Hero has Ts Ah (two pair, aces and fours).
Outcome: Hero wins 7.50 BB.

[The Golden 1]

Yes Xaston, those are some great points that aren't emphasized enough. But also don't be surprised either when you get to 5/10 and see this (and yes, this was a correct fold by me):

Party Poker 5/10 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , . CO posts a blind of $5.
2 folds, UTG+2 raises, 1 fold, MP2 3-bets, MP3 calls, CO (poster) caps, 3 folds, UTG+2 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 calls.

Flop: (17.40 SB) , , (4 players)
UTG+2 checks, MP2 calls $0.50 (All-In), MP3 calls, CO calls, UTG+2 calls.

Turn: (8.90 BB) (4 players, 1 all-in)
UTG+2 checks, MP3 checks, CO bets, UTG+2 raises, MP3 folds, CO 3-bets, UTG+2 caps, CO calls.

River: (16.90 BB) (3 players, 1 all-in)
UTG+2 bets, CO calls.

Final Pot: 18.90 BB

Results in white below:
UTG+2 has Ah 7h (full house, sevens full of aces).
MP2 has Jd 6d (two pair, sevens and sixes).
CO has 5c 7c (three of a kind, sevens).
Outcome: UTG+2 wins 18.90 BB.

[stickdude]

I'd certainly fold that one as well. If it's capped before it ever gets to you in the BB, chances are very good that your AQs is dominated by somebody...

At some point you just have to say - "You guys want it that badly... Go knock yourselves out"

[SebQtaneus]

Xaston,
Let me preface this with the fact that i do not play limits this high yet. I am just wondering if after the SB checked the flop and turn and then bet into you on the river because you had checked the turn, what were you afraid that he had that kept you from raising him on the river?

[Xaston]

I put him on KQ or KJ or QJ. He won't call a river raise with those. He probably won't (or at least shouldn't) call with a worse ace. If by chance he has A2, A3, A4, A5, 22, 33, 44, 55, or AA I save myself a bet. If I raise the river and he calls, my hand is almost certainly not best. Just because you believe very strongly you have the best hand (which I do here) does not mean you should raise. In order for a raise to be correct I need to think I will have the best hand if he calls the raise. I don't believe that to be the case here.

[Tiburon]

[Kuso]