[BarryLyndon]

I will add a few caveats, though I generally agree with everything MJ said:

1. Be wary of tables that totally disrespect MP2+ raises but have the utmost respect for UTG, UTG+1, or MP raises. Use that to your advantage by raising a larger variety of hands from EP, even when you hover around an M of 8. One thing I'm learning is that if you build a porfolio at your table where you are raising a bunch late during the middle stage of a tournament but not at all early, you're going to find yourself shortstacked (or be unsuccessful as a shortstack) because you are going to get too much action against your steal attempts and not enough with your quality hands from earlier positions. When you push with, say, 109 from EP for a sizeable stack, 88 is going to have a lot tougher a decision for 75% of his chips than when you push from LP. Much depends on table dynamic and you can't be wreckless about it, but it's something to think about.

2. Be VERY wary of when you have a re-steal stack. And don't just limit your resteals to CO+ raisors. If you see an MP2 or CO-1 get out of line or smell weakness, than it's time to re-steal. Re-steals can get you out of [censored] stack situations right quick. A lot of times these days I would rather try to preserve a re-steal stack if there is a big fat target over a LAG's head then try for a steal with 109s from CO-1. To me, they are entirely more profitable and you accumulate more chips. You also happen to get more respect from your table this way, which let's you pull of more steals from late (3-betting, in my opinion, will always instill fear in poker players, no matter how much Harrington they read).

3. ALWAYS be wary of a tricky UTG or UTG+1 - before making a big ass push for all your chips with connectors, really ask yourself what kind of player is UTG/UTG+1? Is he the type who has limped before and who is a pussy? Or is he solid and waiting to trap? What's his stack size? What's your FE? Can you find a better spot, or is 35/65 a blessing now? For instance, if blinds are 150/300/75 and UTG has been solid (or decent) and at 3500 he decides to limp, then your 98s from the BB at 3000 may not be so great. A lot of this is based on feel, and punishing limpers should be a default - but if he just played our defaults, we wouldn't be good, observant players.

Conversely, if you have a strong and an M of like 8 or 9, be wary of stacks to your left that are just waiting to push steal. The LP RAI is becoming so incredibly popular and you never REALLY know when a limper is being tricky. However, since you are a [censored] ninja 2+2 poster, you can both spot the tricky limpers and be one yourself.

4. OK, so here is where I recommend that somebody posts something on the "weak ace" in online play, since I think that weak aces are both over played by some short stacks and grossly underplayed by others. Ax is easily one of the more misunderstood hands in online play, and there are several times where, off the SS, you can RR for value / push for value. And other times where you are getting the right equity for a push but just can't seem to make the play with A6 because of fear of running into AJ.

Barry