Ok over the last few weeks I've gradually lost about 50 dollars or so trying to better my game. I've been doing freerolls every night and MTT's and cash games often to gradually build up a better understanding of the game. For the most part, I'm a pretty good tight player.

I don't physically work out odds but I can see the basic chances of best hands etc, I check for all the possible hands before I call or raise etc. I fold poor hole cards straight off etc.

Thing is, I'm noticing that a lot of the guys who are winning in chips are the ones who play really ballsy raises. If there are only two players in and an ace flops, then the first player calls, they'll raise as a bluff. They seem to win a lot of pots this way but is it really worth it?

I've played like this in the past and they've just been slow playing and they raise you after they've checked.

Is it worth bluffing occasionally like this when you can see the odds of them having that card seem low and you can scare them into thinking you have it? Is it worth doingthis only if you do have at least another pair to back it up?

I mean the guys leading always seem to be those who raise aggresively against small numbers of players, and those idiots who go all in every turn - but they always eventually get caught out.

It depends on the initial bet size. If someone bets half the pot and you raise 3x then you only need to succeed every other time. But if he bets the pot and you raise 4x...that looks -EV to me