mason-> i mostly agree w/ you here. however, i'd think that good players would posit that 22 isn't the hand you'd want to expand your range with. i'd rather have 98o than 22 here anyday.

i'd also prefer 54s, 65s, 76s etc. since they play way better if it gets 3b and a blind comes along (a spot where 22 is a huge problem as folding the best hand between 2 players is no fun; nor is calling so you're generally folding - quite possibly incorrectly, and much more likely incorrectly than w/ 65s). i'm def a fan of 22>scs if i'm HU (even oop), but i'd open 54s before i'd open 22 in the HJ.

also, as you mentioned, virtually all tough players have incorporated balancing into their games. i come to a different conclusion than the "extra bets w/ small player group since they see this and react" concept though. since players use balancing and move towards GTO, 22 is going to end up being significantly tougher to play, even IP. i'd imagine you'd retort that as long as you're aligning your own ranges on each street to what your opponents' hold and the pot size, it's not going to be a big loser.

i'd agree w/ that but i'd again note how much easier 65s is to play than 22 since you can fold wayyy more flops w/ 65s than you can w/ 22 way more comfortably. and the flops you do play w/ 65s you can very easily fit into your k/r; bet turn bucket (and this probably makes more of an impact on your opponents if they change their play based on showing something like this down).

i'm now rambling though, so to sum:

1. imo, 22 should be folded always in the HJ (and CO).
2. even if you're good enough to expand your range in the HJ (or if that's needed based on the game texture/lineup) to trick your opponents, i'd still fold 22 and prefer to execute that w/ low suited connectors.

I think the big takeaway of the 22 v 98s debate is showdown-ability vs playability.

My opinion is that most people simply aren't good enough to play with the strategy of showing down, regardless of situation. It's tough to do hand equity calculations on the fly; it involves a very good read on an opponent's range, and this differs dramatically from location to location (at foxwoods, I'd expect many regs who three bet a HJ open to fire most of their range twice on a board like 983-5, while here at Bellagio I'd be far more likely to give them credit for a made hand when they bet twice). But playing a hand like 22 OOP is contingent on not making mistakes, and it's hard to not make calling or folding mistakes when you're unsure of where you stand vs their range. A hand like 65s, while sometimes having the same issue (see above board), just plays far easier. You miss and fold, you flop a draw and raise or call, you flop trips or two pair and raise, you flop a pair and call. It's nice when a hand can effectively play itself.

Just out of curiosity are you implying players are "tougher" or more aggressive at foxwoods?

(serious question)

IME, the 20 games I've played outside of foxwoods have been significantly softer than at foxwoods. At least when 40 isn't running, then FW 20 becomes a joke (as a lot of the strong regs are chasing the higher stakes fish money). But there's usually a few guys in every 20 game who have a clue about what they're doing, and aren't cold calling raises and running ridiculous free card plays, etc. That's not to say Foxwoods isn't capable of being fantastic (I've played in some blown out 20 games this year, and always seem to run terrible lol), but even a lot of the weaker players have learned how to checkraise turns with something less than 2 pair for value.

As of this moment, I'm playing in a vegas game with a hodge podge of tourists, and none of them seem to think much beyond what they have. Well, guy on my right is decent, fwiw.

you would say borgata is weaker than foxwoods?

I think the 20 gets better when the 40 goes is universal. Although I don't think it works as often as when say 80 goes with a 40 going(at least in AC/parx)