Possible dilemma in the late stages

[MrHorace]

[ QUOTE ]
Could you give a little explanation of why the open shove is preferrable over what I did? I have never really understood it I guess. I seem to be in the minority, but I almost always choose to make a normal raise and then shove the flop if my stack allows.

[/ QUOTE ]Wade, I have the same problem that you do, particularly when I have a HUGE hand. However, it comes down to putting yourself in the best position possible considering all potential circumstances that could play out, and open shoving does this.
I've learned from experience playing some small stakes NL cash games the trouble that you can get into by not playing this way.