There are 2 strategic plays I've started to incorporate more into my game that look like they may be profitable.

1 - 3-betting medium pocket pairs preflop vs certain player types

In the past I had usually laid down any pair less than TT or JJ to a PFR unless there were enough players in the pot to justify calling for a set. I would re-raise CO raisers, but that would be it. Since my games have become so aggressive and I'm seeing many 22/18 type players, I've began 3-betting hands like 77 thru 99 more often and it seems to work. I've been doing this as much as an isolate/value type play as well as a deceptive mood.

Anyone who PFR's more than 15% of their hands is obviously raising too many hands. Many of these attempts so far I have taken it down on the flop. And sometimes even if they have a hand like AQ that merits taking one off if they knew what I had, I've taken it down because they fear that I am stronger. I'd even like to think I could make a bigger pair lay it down when an overcard hit because I have been the aggressor. Even if they call the flop, I can usually get to showdown cheaply because I'm in position.

Note: I won't do this against rocks or players PFRing less than 10% or against players raising from the 1st 2 positions UTG unless there are other circumstances that may favor it. And I won't try this either if I've been playing too many hands.

2 - Raising the Turn as a bluff in steal situations and vs donkers when you raise preflop.

I'm from the school that says play your good hands fast on the flop because your oppoent may give up by the turn and it sometimes disguises the strentgh of your hand. Lately, I've been waiting to raise on the turn a bit more and I'm noticing that more people seem to respect a turn raise than a flop raise or even a preflop raise. Many times I just pick it up right there. I've mostly been doing this with overpairs or TPTK type hands or better when I've been the preflop raiser and been donked into on the flop. They are usually full of it and just fold when I raise the turn.

There are 2 situations where I've begun trying this today as a total bluff and it looks like it may be a profitable play in non-large pots.

A - As I've said before, when you raise preflop and someone (a limper or a blind) donks into you on a rag or low flop. They do this a LOT. If I wait for the turn I get an extra bet from them before they fold if they are completely bluffing, but even better when a scare card hits the turn and I still have nothing, but they think I do and I can get them to fold a pair.

B - This play has been most successful so far when I am in the BB and the SB opens for a raise which also happens frequently in very tight games. Instead of just call and fold, I will call preflop and on the flop and raise the turn and the SB will fold. I've only done this when I've had a hand lately, but today I started doing it with absolutely nothing vs a couple of players and it worked all 3 times. Of course, the trick to this play is not to go nuts when it doesn't work.

I figure this has to work close to half the time to show a proflt. This is just a guess by someone too lazy to do math at the moment.

1 I do frequently, but you also need to take into account wether villain is a showdown monkey. If he cant fold 10 10 on a Q high board after you have 3 bet you dont want to make this move against him with 77.

2 is great stuff. Red makes great points. I need to think about this more and work it in.

This is freakin amazing. They have no respect for the PFR or even a PF3-bet from a very tight aggressive player, but they will respect the Turn raise. This is about the ONLY thing that has been working for me lately on a consistant basis at the limit tables.

7 handed [Ts] OTB (18/10 at this table over about 70 hands so far)
CO (21/14 - 244 hands) open-raises, I 3-bet, he calls
[9d][7s] Pot 7.5 SB
DONK - no respect, I call
Pot 4.75 BB
CO leads again, I raise, he takes a few seconds and folds.