[GeeBeeQED]

Why is a calculation required? My answer is yes, it is an advantage.

"...then check it down." Soft play is cheating. It's changing the natural movement of the chips around the table. The stronger player makes moves to keep the weaker player in the game so they can use them, use them to play thier 4 cards against your two.

A very similar situation (but not unethical) in a final table, 3 places paid, the chip leader (unless he's an idiot) wants to keep the bubble player around long as possible to he can keep stealing from the two middle stacks. In a collusive way these techniques can be used to keep your "partner" allive. Also, when the weaker partner has a chance to take chips away from the stronger partner but does not, it hurts my ev. If it's possible for any of the chips to flow to the weaker player, I want that to happen. The'll be easier to win from the weaker player of the two. Yet, how many times have I seen the weak player check down sets or fulls or nut flushes against the stronger partners hand rather than bet them out of thier chips? TOO MANY TIMES. In this way my EV is damaged.

Soft play is cheating. I don't give a cut-card what the excuse is or how they try to rationalize it. These kinds of players (although not always) are usually terrible. Your result is probably dramaticly lower than it should be because of all the suttle ways the game is altered in favor of the colluders/soft-players in the game.

I am thinking the little birdie inside is trying to allert you to something. Trying to protect you. Conciously you are resistant and want to find a way to stay in this game. Your reaching out looking for a way to justify continuing yet inside your conflicted. I'd say you can pursue this line of inquiry further and quite the conflict within somewhat but it will always be there. The fact your asking the question says to me you are aware of the likely answer.

Dave