[sweetjazz]

How often you go to showdown is heaviy dependent on how a game is playing. When you are playing against good players, you have to balance your approach. For example, if you have check/folded two of the last three rivers, maybe this is the right time to check/call with second pair. This avoids the messy situation of dealing with a river raise (either paying off too often against a better hand or sometimes being bluffed off the best hand), and may even get additional value as missed draws that would not have called may bet because you are perceived as being weak.

Also, try to figure out how much info your opponents give away in their betting patterns that distinguish between draws and value bets. Most players tend to favor one line with draws and one with value bets. That info can make calling down with AJ high in one spot a good play and folding it in another spot also a good play.