I'll never make a good high $$ player because I couldn't do this...

[Kurn]

Kurn says he was getting 2:1 on his money to call the all-in and will win 50% of the time, I agree with that, but aren't the facts that he still had put in half of the pot, so in reality if he wins half the time he really breaking even.

Yes and no. Here's where consideration of the metagame comes in.

Short-handed high buy-in NL. Below is what each bet means.

1st raise to 5 BB: "I raise because I want to"

reraise to 15 BB: "I know that your raise means any pair, AK-A8, KQ-KJ, QJ, QT, maybe a couple of medium suited connectors and 10% random trash. I reraise because you'll fold 3/4 of thoise hands."

All-in 3rd raise: "Ha! This time I have a hand that's in the top 15%"

Call: "Well, I guess you have a hand in the top 15%, but folding AKs getting 2:1 is wrong so lets gamble."