[MBTIGUY]

Al,
It's always refreshing to see someone willing to admit their mistakes. Your post makes me think about my own commitment to be a better player. I offer my comments in the spirit of one trying to get it right myself.

I play the microlimits, too, and I'm agreeing with Iceman on all points. With games that will almost always require a showdown to win, you must have the goods. Bluffing (.e. over-representing your hand) is not a good strategy in loose-passive microlimit games. However, a well-placed semi-bluff on a come hand (flushes seem to get the most respect) or a paired door can work on 5th or 6th street.

You CANNOT overestimate the importance of live cards (#'s 2 &3 . If you're playing dead hands as a bluff, you're really dead because you have undermined your chances of getting to showdown with the best hand.

Also, I don't play many low straights. Maybe limping in late position with a two flush against passive players (MAYBE). Since you're much more likely to get two pair than a straight, I always ask muself, "Can I miss my draw and still win?" Therefore, I like high, live straight draws (e.g. 9-10-J).

For myself, I wonder if I give up on what is going to be a big pot too soon (fold on 4th or 5th). Once it gets late and it's a big pot, I tend to play all the way. But what has happened prior is that:
1) I started with a good, live hand
2) by 5th street I believed I had the best hand or the best draw, which also includes how many people my hand will play well against
Again, it's much better in passive games to selectively semi-bluff on 5th or especially 6th than to over-represent on 3rd. In these games, people start with nothing and stay with nothing too long. If you have a scary board by 5th or 6th, people may mistakenly fold if they finally realize their junk can't catch a straight or a flush.