Sorry, I couldn't get the Flop-turn-river converter to work on this hand for some reason

** Game ID 1085195990 starting - 2006-12-13 14:10:04
** Beaumont [Hold 'em] (1.00|2.00 Fixed Limit - Cash Game) Real Money

- psychic00 sitting in seat 1 with $75.00 [Dealer]
- stefeu12 sitting in seat 2 with $85.62
- GirevikKB sitting in seat 3 with $30.25
- cliff_ sitting in seat 4 with $38.75
- PokerInzy sitting in seat 5 with $36.88
- tuatama sitting in seat 6 with $27.50

stefeu12 posted the small blind - $0.50
GirevikKB posted the big blind - $1.00
** Dealing card to GirevikKB: Ace of Clubs, Queen of Hearts
cliff_ folded
PokerInzy called - $1.00
tuatama folded
psychic00 folded
stefeu12 called - $1.00
GirevikKB checked

** Dealing the flop: 10 of Hearts, King of Hearts, King of Diamonds
stefeu12 bet - $1.00
GirevikKB called - $1.00
PokerInzy called - $1.00

** Dealing the turn: 8 of Clubs
stefeu12 bet - $2.00
GirevikKB folded
PokerInzy called - $2.00

Turns out my A high would have won it. What should I look for when deciding on whether I should call down with an A-high or not?

Well that's the catch 22, raising PF makes it easier to represent cards that hit the board . Here people might put you on a hand that can contain one of those cards a lot easier to someone willing to raise out of the BB, Most people would have a tough time betting this flop, and or calling a reraise from you post flop if they didn't have a K and there's a good chance you take this on the flop or at least wind up HU on the turn. Tthe guy behind you probably wouldn't call 2 on the flop if he has anything that resembles a brain.. Even if someone bet called they're probably folding to a turn bet a high percentage of the time. So raising can give you better options post flop.

The other side of the coin is most people will put you on a good A when you raise PF here and if no scare cards hit you'll get called down with bottom pair, or the moment you check someone will fire at the pot.

Again this is an area where knowing your opponents plays a big part. If you have a table full of stations you'll get called down by somene playing a T2 no matter what you do. If you have people how like to see flops but will fold a lot post flop if they miss raising might be a better option. A lot relies on the players and how they tend to play.

See, that's the type of thing that seems to work for me at .50.1, but when I try it at 1/2 I get called down by some a-hole who flopped bottom pair. I've had MUCH better success with naked aggression at .5/1 than I have at 1/2. It seems at 1/2 that unless the deck smaks me in the face I'm destined to lose.

Thus the Girevik law of poker: Bad beats and stupid call downs come at an rate exponentially relative to the level you are playing.