ok, when I was introduced to poker about 9 years ago & playing in one of my very 1st live tourney games (we have a local league in my area that hosts them several nights a week at diff venues around town, prizes generally include restaurant gift certificates, tee-shirts, etc.. Nothing high-stakes LOL) I made the newbie mistakes of 1) betting into a "dry pot" and 2) betting instead of "checking it down" with another player against a 3rd player who was all in. Although my opponent was quite irritated at me & colorful with his words in his teachings to me, after further discussion and realizing that I was new & had a true desire to understand what taboo I had committed & had a real desire to better my game, I did leave that evenings game with the understanding of his logic and for the most part have continued to adhere to it in any tournament style game I play in.

I think however that I am in an increasingly smaller & smaller group of like-minded people/players on this, as I constantly see betting going on with other players all in. And, I'm not even referring to doing so when you KNOW you have the nuts & will eliminate the player who is all in...I'm talking big bets on BS/NOTHING/ a draw or a crap pair etc...

And it makes me wanna stab eyeballs out!!! What do ya'll think?