I can see the attraction of big bet poker with training wheels:
saw flop|saw showdown
UTG+2 ($87.83)
MP1 ($32.35)
MP2 ($18.10)
MP3 ($39.50)
CO ($29.75)
Button ($86.50)
SB ($32.35)
Hero ($25.65)
UTG ($23.25)
UTG+1 ($15.15)
Preflop: Hero is BB with Jc, Qc.
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, MP1 calls $0.50, MP2 folds, MP3 calls $0.50, CO calls $0.50, Button raises to $1, SB calls $0.75, Hero calls $0.50, MP1 calls $0.50, MP3 calls $0.50, CO calls $0.50.
Flop: ($6) 9c, Ks, 2d (6 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, MP1 checks, MP3 checks, CO checks, Button checks.
Turn: ($6) Td (6 players)
SB bets $5.7, Hero calls $5.70, MP1 folds, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button folds.
River: ($17.40) 6s (2 players)
SB bets $5, Hero raises to $12, SB calls $7.
Final Pot: $41.40
Main Pot: $41.40, between SB and Hero. > Pot won by Hero ($41.40).
SB shows Ac Kh (one pair, kings).
Hero shows Jc Qc (straight, king high).
Outcome: Hero wins $41.40.
My guess is that SB was hoping to check-raise some sorry bastard on the flop. Unfortunately things went awry. I was hoping to call-raise some sorry bastards on the turn, but I’m still satisfied with the way things turned out.
Again, point #3 applies: Don’t go broke with top pair. Now the question is whether my raise on the river was optimal for winning money. Would he have called me if I’d gone all-in? If I’d raised to $14? Is the potential payoff worth not holding back?
HD told me that he much prefers live play for the max buy-in NL games, since the PartyPookers tend to fold to any pre-flop raise and just wait for the nuts. But in the limited experience I’ve had with PL, it seems that people are willing to risk more of their chips because the pot limit maximum bet/raise makes them feel more secure. They’re wrong, of course.