[Veil]

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[...] so when Phil checked the flop (which he'll do with strong and weak hands alike) he checked behind. Way ahead/way behind.


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Over-pairs are indeed the trickiest hands to play. I believe in this situation, PH was hoping to get a check-raise in on the flop. Now, if MM makes a half-pot bet, and PH decided to raise and MM then calls (which he certainly has to) - it's going to be extremely difficult (reasonably going by what I know regarding PH/MM and their tendencies from watching many of their hands) - for PH to continue firing now. But if he does fire big on the turn/river, Mike can safely get away and it doesn't look as bad in my eyes. If the hand was played this way, PH would either have folded the flop bet or gave up afterwards.

Okay, but what if PH merely calls this bet? Well this again makes it harder for him to continue firing (and more expensive in relation to the pot if he decides to play big bet poker as was self-evident). If PH checks, it should be played as if it was the flop (the turn card was surely irrelevant). However, if PH big bets the turn, I agree that raising here would be silly for obvious reasons. But again, after MM's turn call, it will be much harder for PH to fire again at the river. Well, even if he does, it might not go down the same way because MM may feel he is pot-committed at this point.

Aside: on average, this way isn't more expensive then the way it went down (especially if we count in PH's final bet, as not calling was a mistake).