Great post, Lou. There is very little to add. Let me expand on this one point of yours though:
I agree 100% with your numbers. 1/2 to 2/3 is just right, although the occasional 3/4 bet is ok too. I personally like the 1/2 number best. Why? Because it only has to work 1 in 3 times for you to break even.
Example: There are 600 chip in the pot. You bet 300 (1/2) on the flop. If you take the pot down, you win 600 chips. That means you can be called twice - and we'll even assume you never improve or win the pot when your CB is called - and you'll break even. Do CBs of 1/2 the pot work better than 1 in 3 times? In my experience (especially heads up), yes, they do.
This is a great way to build your stack. Getting passive post flop every time you miss will ruin your tournament chances. A few weeks ago, Penguinfan (hey, where is that guy?) posted asking how people accumulate neough chips in tourneys to withstand the inevitable bad beats... Well, this is one key way.
Anyway, back to the 1/2 - 2/3 thing. Let's say, just for fun, you decided to always make your CBs 3/4 of the pot. Going with the same example as above:
600 chips in pot. You bet 450. When you win, you win 600. When you lose, you lose 450. That means instead of giving yourself 2:1 on your bet, you now only have about 1.3:1. big difference. will the 3/4 bet be more effective than the 1/2? Maybe, yes. Will it be more effective than the 2/3 (where you are getting 1.5:1 odds on your bet)? IMO, no.... hence me liking Lou's suggested 1/2 - 2/3 range.
Again, good post Lou.
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