[Andrew Fletcher]

LHE players love big pots because it allows them to chase draws. NL players want to avoid playing big pots unless they know they have a good hand. In NLHE, showdowns are much less frequent and the strength of your hand is often unknown in relation to your opponents hand. Therefore, good NL players try to control the size of the pot if they are unsure of their relative strength.

Let's say you've got AQo in the CO. A uber-tight player raises 3xbb from UTG. From playing with him, you know that this likely means AA-JJ or AK. You're the only caller. The flop comes As-5d-8c. He bets 2/3 of the pot, which is standard for him. You call. Flop is a blank and he checks. You check behind.

The turn check is an example of a move designed to keep the pot small. You want to get to a cheap showdown if he's got JJ-KK and avoid putting too much money in the pot if he has AA or AK. He'll most likely make a smallish bet (btw 1/2-2/3 of the pot) on fifth street, which you can easily call.

The main difference between NL and L is that a player can control pot odds and give their opponents opportunities to make mistakes. According to TOP, those mistakes equal money in your pocket.

As a note, the players in the very high-stakes NL games (like 25/50 and up) often wind up playing big pots with medicore hands. The theory doesn't change, but the players are so much better that they try to manipulate each other and throw eachother off balance. It's really pretty cool to watch.