I find it astonishing how few people take the time to try to figure out what the other guy has. OK, sometimes you can’t figure it out, but if he keeps on betting and raising, maybe he has a hand.

I understand in limit poker that the pots get large and the price to call is a small percentage of the pot, but there are still many times when calling is simply an exercise in futility. You are not obligated to call the flop, turn, and river, seeing all raises along the way, just because you have top pair.

I sit there night after night in sheer amazement as people call nice, straightforward players down with mediocre hands after the other guy has shown considerable strength. Look, I hate to muck hands too, but if you NEVER get bluffed you are calling way too much.

On-line, I almost never bluff. That is because so many people bluff constantly that the on-line players call everything down if that have a pair. But that situation seems to be affecting live poker as well, where people bluff a lot less. Many players just bleed off chips calling guys down with top pair terrible kicker, or middle pair, or even less. Sure there are times this is a correct play, but take your time and think about it. Can you release your hand on the turn and save two big bets? These things add up. Chips that stay on your stack spend just as well as chips you win.