minsim, i am in the same boat currently. i am at 45-50k hands myself, though.

i have tried both limping and raising. i have tried to isolate and 2 barrel. i have tried to play fit or fold. all to no avail. i just cant find my heater to overcome the all the expensive "experimentation."

you are correct about having little FE past the flop. and about 2barreling becoming expensive when missing.

but consider this....

could you just be running poorly? i know i am. when i start hitting cards again, i will ruin these guys. and quickly, too.

when i plan to 2barrel, and hit my card on the turn, they are toast to "value town." when i fire a cbet on my pp and hit my set on the turn, they will get stacked. fire two streets with an OE and hitting it on the river...then the c/r ai. all the lines that work when you are running hot just arent coming in right now.

just make sure you are betting your "potential" the same as your "weak mades." and keep folding to aggression in your face. this sets you up as the type of player that can be "run over." and, that, i'm convinced is what these guys are looking for. they want to raise your cbets and blow you off the pot. they want to minbet the flop and watch you fold. they want to shove the river and see you drop your hand.

LET THEM!!

its when you complete as you go that you will get them back....as long as you let them continue to spew their 2nd pair or underpairs. dont get so happy to raise them back. let them continue to fire away.

keep the pots cheap. wait for real hands. pounce with c/r's when they hit. you take shots at small pots only. only mix it up in the bigger pots when you have a lot of potential. start donking a little yourself to find who the "donk raisers" are, and crush them.

you'll figure it out, but its going to take some time.