Ok, if you don't mind I'll post 2 hands, 1 is from a week or so ago where I was trying the "something else" line (and playing it badly lol). The other is from yesterday where as soon as it flopped I sat and thought specifically about this discussion and FORCED myself to play it c-bet-style. Every instinct in my body was saying to slowplay but I didn't and afterwards felt a mixture of "shit, could have won a lot more from that hand" and "that reinforces my c-bets (although without a showdown, perhaps it doesn't)"

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (9 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP2 ($4.94)
MP3 ($3.63)
CO ($5.80)
Button ($11.17)
SB ($4.43)
BB ($2)
UTG ($5.12)
Hero ($12.78)
MP1 ($3.69)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with 7, 7.
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.2, 1 fold, MP2 calls $0.20, 5 folds.

Flop: ($0.47) 7, 6, 6 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 bets $0.15, Hero calls $0.15.

Turn: ($0.77) 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 checks.

River: ($0.77) T (2 players)
Hero bets $2, MP2 folds.

Final Pot: $0.77
Ok, so since then I read this thread and thought about it and this happened:


Hand 2
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (8 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP1 ($6.85)
MP2 ($8.55)
Hero ($10.17)
Button ($6.80)
SB ($10.13)
BB ($5.90)
UTG ($8.90)
UTG+1 ($9.99)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A, A.
UTG calls $0.05, 3 folds, Hero raises to $0.25, Button calls $0.25, 2 folds, UTG folds.

Flop: ($0.62) A, Q, A (2 players)
Hero bets $0.3, Button folds. (Btw, I know the 1/2 PSB was a bit wimpy and should have been 3/4 but forgive me that.)

Final Pot: $0.62

So, what I'm trying to take out of this is that I should play such hands in the 2nd way, not the first correct? And just to see if I've got the thinking right:
a. I wouldn't have got much more money from this hand without villain holding Qx or bluffing anyway so building a pot was correct.
b. It maintains an image whereby my cbets could be either bluff/semi bluff OR teh nuts as well as the range inbetween.


P.S. I don't usually play as badly as hand 1, I was hoping he'd hit a flush I think...