Please help me clafiry my thinking in regards to overcards.

[Irishboy]

I've been reading and studying a lot lately since my game has been in the crapper. When in doubt, break down your game and look for leaks.

Stox sent me some pokertracker numbers and I realized that he wins a lot more money with AK-AJ (suited and unsuited) than I do. So I started looking at a lot of hands and I realized a have a lot of these:

AK in MP. One limper, raise...bb calls, limper calls.

T72 flop. bet, call, call.

Turn 4

bet, call, fold.

river J

check check

and he shows me 55 or QJ or 87s...rarely, they'll show you a KQs and you take it down.

What is your thought process when you flop overcards?

If I have 3 or more callers and I miss the flop, I generally check or call 1 bet if necessary and fold turn unimproved. HU or two callers and I typically bet the flop...turn is read dependent, but I tend to bet against a weaker player.

The problem is that I have trouble putting my opponents on hands. What clues do I need to look for? How does opponents aggression level factor in? Is that even important? What about the board..if you have a gutshot or something? Is it "check if you have outs, bet if you don't?"

If there is a Q or J high board will you tend to check or bet?

I know I'm rambling but I've had a million of these thoughts running thru my head and I honestly think I've been reading too many different authors(and posts) lately. It's hard for me to stay focused on one part of my game since I read so many different opinions. I wish someone could give me one of those Clarkisms to focus on...

[bobdibble]

It depends.

It depends on the opponents, how they perceive you recently, board texture, bla bla. Have you read the section on overcards in SSH?