The Higher Levels (relatively speaking)

Other differences at the higher levels:

People will call you down with nothing. This leads to a large number of really painful split pots. Just now I raised in the blinds with AQo. The flop came A45 with two hearts. I bet out, one player folded, and the other called all the way with pocket 7s. Great except the board hit running 2-3 to give a straight to both of us. Ouch. I'd almost mind hitting the two-outer less.

A similar problem is when you hit an inside straight on a board like T62; you hold 98 and the 7 comes on the turn. But the guy holding T9 hangs in there, and the river is an 8. Suddenly it's a split pot, and a loss after the rake.

If you limp, the person right behind you will raise just to be an asshole and get it heads up. Then when the board is Q22, there's not much you can do.

You face more difficult decisions on the turn, with a draw to a good hand but unfavorable odds. You often need to call $1 into a $3.50 pot to see the last card that may give you your straight; if it doesn't you have nothing, and someone else might river you anyway. Many folds that are regretted, I think I need to call more here.

People abuse the button shorthanded. You'll see button raises with 37 suited, J7 offsuit, all manner of trash, even 23.