[parttimepro]

Hand 1: I'd make my standard continuation bet of 3/4 pot on the flop. I'd make this same bet on this board with any 2 cards after raising preflop, so it gets money in the pot without giving much information about your hand.

Betting or calling the turn defines your hand as AQ or better. I think you checked, he tried to steal, you called, and he shut down. Your line is probably fine here. He's likely got middle pocket pair. If you bet again, you'll probably fold him. Only 2 hearts or QX might call--he'd probably put you on AQ-KK-AA, and wouldn't expect you to fold to a raise. Checking gets at least another $1200. You might try a small check-raise here. If he's semi-bluffing with two hearts, he'll probably call, and if he doesn't call a check-raise here, he probably won't call a bet on the river. Also, if you make a small check-raise on the turn with a monster, it sets up cheap bluffs later on, such as hand 2.

2: I'm not sure why fsu thinks this pf raise is marginal. Looks standard to me. I think if you don't bet the flop here, you pretty much need to fold to his bet. Best case scenario, you're drawing to 10 outs, none of which will get paid off that well. Worst case, you've got 7 outs, but you don't know whether the A or K is good.

What are you representing with your turn check-raise? I guess QQ might get played this way, but so might KJ, A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]X[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], AQ. What I'm saying is, he doesn't need a set to call you, and you won't necessarily push him off something like QJ. KJ, 9T, X[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]X[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] should call.

I guess I don't like it because there have to be easier ways to make money than to make marginal bluffs against skilled players.

Anyways, after I won either hand, I'd jump around and do some shadow boxing and crunches, while yelling "YEAH! YEAH!" and give Phil a big hug.