[Poker blog]

David,

Perhaps I see this wrong, but I don't think the following sentence is what you meant:
"Also, for simplicity sake we will not consider the river bet. Assume it doesn't exist."

If the river bet doesn't exist, then why would you ever raise? If the river bet doesn't exist, then this is the last round of betting, and that's it. If you call, you get two big bets from your opponents for just one big bet of your own. But if you raise, you get two big bets from your opponent for two big bets of your own. Clearly, you would never raise.

I don't think this was how you intended your question to be, so could you clarify what you meant when you said the river bet doesn't exist? Or am I just on crack?