[Leavenfish]

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I understand that the level of agression is a factor in playing small pairs - passive is fine but you prefer a little action for when you flop your set as others are a bit tied to the pot with likely weaker prospects.

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Excuse me if this is a stupid question but I'm a learning player (not much above a fish) and the end of this paragraph seems to contradict one of the points I've had drilled into me: Money in the pot is no longer mine and each play should be evaluated based solely on what's happening now rather than how much money I put in the pot.

Is that correct or have I misunderstood? Or did I misunderstand you?

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Absolutely, money you have put into the pot is no longer yours.

I really should have said that people will often find themselves tied to their hands. Of course, the size of the pot is the very reason this will happen...for why would anyone in their right mind continue with their hand if they were not playing for much of anything?

When a game is loose and even somewhat agressive, the pot is often big enough after the flop for people to draw to all sorts of hands which (un-benounced to them) could well be second best when facing your nicely hidden set. When your hand holds up, you stand to win a nice pot.

---Leavenfish