When you raise for value in Texas Holdem (because you think your poker hand is the strongest), make bigger raises against straightforward players. Straightforward players tip you to their big poker hands earlier and more reliably. As a result, you can get away from bad situations more quickly and cheaply. Suppose you are in the big blind against one limper. While a $60 raise out of position with ace-king might be bad against a tough player, it could be perfect against a straightforward player. Notice that this is different from the previous example where you were in position against random hands in the blinds.

Say the straightforward player will play as follows: He will fold the flop if he misses, call the flop if he flops a good pair or draw, and raise the flop if he flops two pair or better. Now it’s fine to make a big raise with your ace-king, even though you are out of position. Since you will know roughly where you stand after seeing the flop and your holdem opponent’s reaction to your bet, you won’t hang yourself in a big pot. A big preflop raise nets you extra value from the small pots, while you’re still safe from playing a big pot.

Also recommended:

1. Make Bigger Raises Against Players Who Fold Too Much Postflop
2. Make Smaller Raises Against Players Who Call Too Much Postflop
3. Five biggest mistakes of poker tournament players
4. Deep Stack Raise Sizing in Texas Holdem
5. Bluffing Techniques against Solid Holdem Players