something i try to do to avoid the fish and to avoid luck, is by avoiding pushing all in before the flop -- i know that before the flop if i go all in i might have the better hand, but i could just lose the hand by luck of the draw. if you wait until after the flop (you dont always have the opportunity, i know) you then have the ability to out play your opponent, regardless of your cards. i apply this same theory to my live games with my friends. online i do it to stay alive in SnG's mainly and then i started realizing why even though i am a much better player than most of my friends, that i still lose from time to time... the reason being that i play down to their level. if i avoid making stupid mistakes and allowing myself opportunities to out play them -- i come out on top every time. i was watching the WPT the other day where Layne Fleck got beat by Erik (sorry some Costa Rican guy). and the announcers were talking about how Erik's best strategy was to push all in preflop so that the pro (Layne) wouldnt be able to outplay Erik after the flop. this just reinforced what i had been trying to put into practice with my friends... i knew i was the better player, so why let them take away my advantage by pushin in before the flop. Phil Gordon made a great comment the other night when i was listening to him, "if you dont get bluffed out from time to time, you are calling too much" i know i sound like an ultraconservative player, but face me and i think you will find me quite aggressive, just smart. | 
