[norshvind]

"When at a full table always raise when you enter the pot, if someone else did not raise it already unless you are the short stack."

I believe this strategy is correct and it has been working for me. If you get a hand that you want to play (unless your slowplaying) raise pre-flop if someone else did not. I usually raise the same amount when I enter the pot pre-flop so no one can pick up a read from me. This knocks out the big blind so he has to bet more money to play and not just check. By him checking to a crappy hand he may get a lucky flop and beat your great hand. By raising you also knock out a few other people and you get more money in the pot by the people who are calling you.

On the other hand if you are short stack. You may or may not be better off calling instead of raising. Sometimes in tournaments you will start getting short stacked and the blinds are so big that you can't afford to do this. You would probably be better off calling or going ALL-IN.

[norshvind]

I agree on the fact that you don't want others to know what you've got, but I'm doubting if I'm using the right amount. I play on a certain network that hasn't had the best publicity lately on this forum, but it was the only site where I could start out with real money right away.

I play NL .05-.1 10 handed and I always raise for 60c. This causes often that I only get the blinds (especially when I've just joined a table) but in the end, I feel that it's made me quite a bit of money. Is this too big a raise considering the number of fish that are at these tables? I don't slowplay hardly at all for the obvious reason that I don't want to be in a pot with 8 people with my high pocket pair.

I then usually proceed with a pot sized bet on the flop. This usually gets out most of the chasers. I read some post on a forum where someone was saying he bets the pot (when in position of course) with:
- the nuts
- a good draw
- everything in between the first two
- nothing

I also use this way of thinking and I therefore pick up quite a but of pots without a showdown.

[chris]

Indeed there are lot of strategy for this game.So you better check your hands before doing it.

[louis]

I wouldn't always follow this, though in general it is good advice for playing assertive poker.

On the last point, yes in some situations calling and raising can be bad news, and quite often if you feel obligated to play a hand it's time to go all-in and leave your fate at the table in the lap of the Gods.

[Chi_Town]

If you are looking at an unraised pot, and you think you can steal the button (or truly have a strong hand), definitley raise. You want to limit the field if you are strong to play fewer opponents. Additionally, even if you have just a marginal hand (KJ, AT, 77) getting position by driving out the button is usally all by itself worth raising.

By the way... raise 3 to 4 x's the blind every time (4 maybe 5 x' if there were a lot of limpers and you want to get some of them out).

raise too small and everyone stays in, raise to big, and you either get no action or a caller (or worse, a raiser) likely has you beat, and you just blew a chunk of money.