[Magikist]

Well, the turn decision in the first hand is difficult. Raising just screams bluff. Considering the alternatives: Folding is pretty bad for your image. You could call and hope he checks to you on the river, where a bluff bet is more convincing. Risky proposition.

One factor people seem to have ignored is that this is a relatively new confrontation. First impressions are critical. Let's say you bet and raise w/ 68 at every opportunity, and your new opponent calls down w/ his pair of aces, expecting you to show a monster. His note on you is going to be nasty, and he'll remember you for that donkey play more than anything else. Exploited correctly, this maniacal image is extremely valuable.

Anyway, the ace falling on the turn is simply terrible luck. There are no good choices, but all of them are legitimate. Raise 40%, fold 40%, call 20% - or something like that.

With no history with your opponent, the turn raise in hand 2 is OK. The problem is, you'll almost always get called, because there aren't too many hands out there that don't have some kind of draw. Nevertheless, you have as many as 14 outs, and it's always good to test new opponents to see what you can get away with. Just expect to have to fire the river. Again, these plays are expensive propositions.

I wonder if one of the best ways to adjust to ultra-agressive games is simply to almost never bluff?