I was playing in a lower limit game then usual and one player tried to convince me that the higher game was easier to play in with more people playing like they don’t care. I tried to tell them that it was exactly the opposite. Although there are still some people giving it away, usually the people doing all the raising has a purpose for every one of their bets. He then told me how he saw one guy call a hand all the way down with bottom pair (3’s) with two others betting and raising like crazy preflop and on the flop, and the 3’s were good! I told him it was either a really bad play, or a really good play depending on what he was thinking. If he was not thinking what the other two players had then it was not that smart. But I, having no idea who any of these players are, set up this scenario. I said that the first person raised preflop with AK and the second person 3 bet with AQ preflop and AK capped. The big blind called with a poor suited hand. The flop came out all small cards (I was not told what they were) so the BB and AK checked to AQ which bet. Now he is going to bet a missed flop every time with AQ thinking he still could be good. AK raised because he knows he would always bet. AQ re-raises because he knows the first player is able to make that play without a pair. The BB called one bet then had to call two bets cold. He could be thinking that with all this action there might be a chance they both have nothing. Especially if either of the players would have slow played a big pair to raise the turn.. So the AQ bets the turn and both call then the river he has position and would usually check but he thinks that there is a good chance one of them has AK, which might fold to a bet. So he bets and gets called by the 3’s and not the AK who cant over call without a pair. So my point was that everyone of their bets had a reason, none of them were really crazy but very strategic. Always trying to give the other player to make a mistake and fold the best hand. The other players were then good enough not to fold. So just because someone raises a lot without the nuts does not mean they are not a good player. My favorite player to play against does not raise a lot at all.