I find that paying mind to previous hands played and the types of value bets they are willing to call and with what or at least what I expect they had is very valuable in making my own value bets.

This is best when it is "free" information and can lead you to betting 2/3 or closer to pot with "marginal" TPGK against what you suspect is TPWK and switching it up against others that fit the set straight and flush category that are observant enough to catch on. If you haven't had the opportunity to show down a one pair hand bet like a maniac, but if you have observed someone folding what you suspect was TP and you are hammering with a draw with position, on the river for 1/2 to 2/3 the pot you have a better idea of what a bluff is going to cost you to attempt.

I think this is a great way to naturally vary your play for best value. It allows you to hammer at the sissies with snow, play big in marginal situations against donks with kings queen kicker, and possible get a bigger call vs. a tighter player with your big hands.

Yeah, I have a few things in mind here.

One thing as set up for some possible river bluffs is increasing my typical value-bet on the river with sets, etc. I've usually been making it 1/3-pot or so, but I think 2/3 if at all possible is rather desirable, even though it's somewhat more difficult to get callers.

I definitely agree with you on betting your KJ harder with a K on the board, and your opponent is likely to have K8. Against players like that, I've actually been raising TPGK (maybe even KT, although that's pushing it awfully hard) with position against opponents who play a lot of junky big cards.

Anyhow, while I tend to view betting the river with less than a set as just a bluff, also, if you can accurately put your opponent on a draw or a weak hand, I think hammering the river again with just TP is at least something to look into--you just need to "know" you're not betting into a monster.

It is a fine line to walk and the one that distinguishes between running well and betting well for me. When I'm on point this seems very natural no matter the bet sizes and when I'm not I can't pull it off at .50/1

Locked or not isn't something that tangible, the best players lock in faster and trust that "feeling". You can look at the pot size and stack sizes and not make a distinct difference unless you had been there for the past 50 hands maybe even more.

Poker is a tough game because of this intangible, that might be right 90% of the time.

You cant have a "the pot is big enough mentality".

I think you should always bet the river if you probably have the best hand. You cant be scared; especially if you have been betting through out. Betting the river can get lots of extra money in the pot.

For example, pot is $10 going to flop, you bet $10 on flop and get one caller; then double the bet on the turn ($20) and get a call. The pot is now $70. Now you bet the river for another $20 and get called. The pot is $110 which is 57% more.