The youth movement in poker has tended to make the game a bit more aggressive. A lot of players like to shove with a variety of cards. KJ offsuit, a hand many pros of old would likely toss seems to be a hand a young gun is more than willing to shove on. The philosophy seems to be to make your opponent make the decisions and more times than not you get the pot.
On the other hand, you have guys who won't bet premiums. First hand of a multi-table tournament I get the big blind, and am dealt 98 off suit. Five players before me all limp, and I check. Flop come 8 5 2. I bet $50 (blinds were simple 5/10 so pot had $60) to see if my pair of eights are good. Two folds and two calls followed by a fold. Next card is an 8 giving me trips. Pot holds $210 so I bet $130. Both call. Last card is a 9, giving me a boat. $600 in the pot, and I want action so I bet $130 again. Second player raises to $400, next player thinks then folds.
The board is 85289, with no flush draw. Unless he has nines, I have the hand won, so I shove. He calls and he turns over kings and his slow play costs him the first exit in the tournament.
Had he simply raised preflop, or even raised on the flop most of the time I am folding my hand. The bottom line is if you have a premium hand preflop you are looking to go heads up, you don't want five or six players in the pot and this is a classic example of why. And that also explains why a lot of the young players today feel a shove is a good play...it quickly eliminates the competition and even if you just pick up the blinds, you win the hand.
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