So, you know the capacity of all of your opponents at the table (online). Huh, you don't?

Why not? I mean, shouldn't you at least be aware of their stack sizes, and what they might do with them?

What if you had a program that told you how often they raised pre-flop, and where (which obviously this exists)? Would this affect your decisions against them? What if the data was incomplete? What if the data encompassed hands where they were mostly on tilt. What if they are a great player when they are in the right mood? Pre-flop aggression stats matter, don't they? Or do they?

You raised 3.5xbb on the button with 86o because it folded around to you, and you felt that the blinds would call you only with the top percentage of hands (but if they would only call you with those, why wouldn't they reraise you?). So, the BB calls you, and you have 8,000, and he has 10,000, and the blinds are at 200/400 w/ante, and you're not on the bubble. It's an MTT.

The BB is tight, but aggressive. The flop is 86A all of different suites. The BB leads into with a bet the size of the pot. According to your stats, he RARELY calls from the bb without the top 5 hands, AND, he doesn't push all in with stacks sizes this large with the nuts on the flop.

Okay, take out the stats, and ask yourself questions about the here and now. You have two pair, and you have an ace on the flop. AA, 88, and 66 are the only hands beating your right now. But, they are badly beating you. You have a decision to make...this player, this tight player (according to his stack) has actually been playing quite a few hand lately for a raise. You're not on the bubble...but it's getting there, and wouldn't YOU like to be CL at the table when the bubble comes? I know I would. Would he had AK? Plus, why would he bet the pot? I mean, you've shown already that you can lay down. What does he think you have that you would CHASE? There is no flush draw. Does he think you specifically played 75? He couldn't put you on exactly that. No...if he had trip aces, he would HAVE to know he wouldn't get a dime off of you unless you had an ace on this flop too. Yet, he has 3 of them. So, what's the likelyhood.

His bet screams of this: I have a pair, or I have AK. I don't think you have an ace as you have tried to steal on the button many times. I'm willing to bet you didn't hit at all Mr. 86o, and you'll quickly fold to my pot sized bet. After all, you've raised, and folded to pot sized bets in the past with what I'll assume was absolutely nothing, so betting the pot now will get you to do the same.

The best thing to do right now is raise all in.

BUT WAIT...what if he has trips? He is tight, and he is aggressive.

What if he KNOWS that I know he wouldn't bet so big with the current nuts, and hopes I'll call or raise....

But, that doesn't make sense. What would I do such a thing with? Even if I didn't put him on the ace, if I had pretty much nothing, like he probably thinks in the first place, then why bother raising so huge if he knows I'll fold anyhow.

You might draw out on him.

How? Draw to what? Hit runner runner? If he's scared of me doing something like that, then I need to play him more often. In fact, I should give him chips if he's down and maybe he can take other people's chips for me, then I can take chips from him.

The stats say one thing, the situation right in front of my eyes says another. I push all in...he folds.