Expert vs. Strong player, where is the advantage?

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
It might be that the expert's ability to anticipate future decisions and factor those into the immediate decision is what sets him apart

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think that thinking "holistically" about the hand is necessarily confined only to experts at all, and think it's quite possible to think holistically but poorly.

The relating of tactical and strategic, the large and the small, immediate position versus "area of influence" in Chess and Go are all vital considerations for the advanced player, but they become a part of the long before that. One might consider that thinking in relational ways between the streets in a poker game and not doing so is important, but it's such a basic, integral part of the game that it makes more sense to define that level of thinking as one that separates the complete novice from other players rather than the experts from the highly competent.