grenv: The rule of taking a persons last bet if they time out was put in as a way to compensate for not allowing vacation days in the game. Big ponds can take months (and even more then a year) to play - and since you can't use a vacation day on a pond while you might be away, many will plan ahead and place a slightly "higher" bet that will hopefully keep them in place for the rounds they will miss, and hopefully be around when they get back.

I guess there is a concern about "equal information" - but the problem is in many games (like Battleboats - I can look at my opponent past games to figure out if they like to place boats near each other - if they normally place them near the edge - figure out where they normally like to shot at first so i don't put my boats there, etc...). I guess the good solution would be to jut place in the dark ponds if you really worried about this.