10NL: bet to protect?

[Supwithbates]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool (http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php) from FlopTurnRiver.com (http://www.flopturnriver.com) (Format: 2+2 Forums)

SB ($5.95)
BB ($12.10)
UTG ($6.20)
UTG+1 ($13.90)
MP1 ($11.20)
Hero ($10)
CO ($1.40)
Button ($12.15)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif, T/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP1 calls $0.10, Hero calls $0.10, CO calls $0.10, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($0.50) 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, MP1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $0.3</font>

Looking back at my HH I'm not seeing any better hands folding, and few worse hands calling. Should I bet to protect here at a typical 10NL with its fair share of passive players? Obv if anyone calls I go into pot control unless I improve, but should I bet and try to take it down now, or just give 2 free cards and fold to any overcard/bet on subsequent streets?

Check/folding after this action seems nitty.

Another hand from the same session:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool (http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php) from FlopTurnRiver.com (http://www.flopturnriver.com) (Format: 2+2 Forums)

SB ($8.45)
BB ($10.85)
UTG ($10)
UTG+1 ($6.05)
MP1 ($11.35)
MP2 ($11.65)
Hero ($9.95)
CO ($1.30)
Button ($13.30)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, J/images/graemlins/heart.gif. UTG posts a blind of $0.10. CO posts a blind of $0.15.
UTG (poster) checks, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, Hero calls $0.10, CO (poster) checks, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($0.55) 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">BB bets $0.4</font>, UTG folds, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $1</font>

Is raising here pretty standard? Way ahead/slightly behind situation, and my default is to build a pot where I'm almost never a significant underdog, plus it disguises the flush if it hits.

As always, I'm less concerned with how I should've played than I am with why I misplayed/well played the hand. Reasoning is more important than results.

Thanks /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[elgatoesme]

First hand:

generally agree with your thinking but I raise a bit more. I am hoping to take down the pot right now if somebody has A6s or such.

With position you can wait and see what a caller does on the turn but I still call a reasonable bet on some cards including over cards (maybe) since 87 and 65 seem likely holdings for callers.

2nd hand: I am definitely raising this preflop to about 5BB maybe a bit more with the two extra BB in the pot.

The raise is standard and should be bigger, you are betting for value and you should try to get more. After BB bets and you call there is about 1.4 in pot. Your raise should be another $1 or more so a bet of 1.4+ is more like it. Most aces and straight draws with call here and so will weaker flush draws (oh happy day). You will only be a dog occassionally and rarely badly (to a set of 5s or 6s). Extract value now while you are well ahead of his range and he still has hopes for the draws.

[Fiksdal]

Yo bates, haven't seen you in this forum before.

In the first hand I agree with your train og thought.

In the second I don't understand why you are not raising pre-flop I make it 0.6$ there.

As played, on the flop you very likely have the best hand, and a monster draw to the nuts. Raise for value to 1.5-2$. Be very happy to get it all-in. If called, push any turn.

[Sir Winalot]

1) $0.5
2) $2

[LaMbaL]

First hand, you dont bet for the purpose of making better hands fold or weaker hands call (tho the latter is obviously good), but simply to take down a pot where you most likely have the best hand right now. You're up against 3 players and 4 possible overcards, if you check here youre basically giving up a pot that so far is yours.

In the second hand, yes raising is pretty standard here. You dont mind taking down the pot right now, and neither do you mind building a bigger pot. But, calling isnt bad here either, you very likely have the best hand already and you might induce another bet on the turn. You can mix these plays up read-and-opponent dependant imo.

[Check_The_Nuts]

hand 1 is extremely dependant on the opponent. I always bet here, but what comes next depends on who calls.

hand 2 Raising or calling flop is fine.

[Supwithbates]

On hand 2 the raise was to 1.40 but I accidentally cut it off when pasting it here on the boards.

I limped because I felt like raising would drive out the hands I wanted to stack, lower aces, while getting calls from better aces. I mix raises/calls here and base it on the players I'm up against... these ones liked to limp weak aces in early position but I wasn't confident they'd stick around for a raise.
Another thing that might be entering into my train of thought is that AJ is my biggest loser (well, besides KK, but only because I've run into pocket aces twice allin preflop) and I think I've been playing AJ for value as I would AK and it's getting me into trouble, so I'm trying to keep pots small with it to avoid only getting into confrontations with stronger aces.

On hand 1 I got 3 callers, the turn came K and MP1 (a very bad player who I was eager to stack) led out, I was fairly sure he had either floated with 2 overs (yes, behind 2 other callers, he floated) or had just hit 2 pair, so I folded.

[elgatoesme]

With the nut flush you want to get this all in on the flop at this level, often you will find that you are up against a weaker ace who only has a few outs. These hands often come to their senses if they don't improve on the turn. Even if not ahead you have a strong draw to the nuts with redraw worries only against a set. Of course you will get some folds but heck you can't stack em everytime and at least you took down a nice pot without resistance.

Without FD you are right to be a bit cautious with AJs when you hit aces. Don't wear your fear on your sleeve tho.

[Supwithbates]

[ QUOTE ]
With the nut flush you want to get this all in on the flop at this level, often you will find that you are up against a weaker ace who only has a few outs. These hands often come to their senses if they don't improve on the turn. Even if not ahead you have a strong draw to the nuts with redraw worries only against a set. Of course you will get some folds but heck you can't stack em everytime and at least you took down a nice pot without resistance.

Without FD you are right to be a bit cautious with AJs when you hit aces. Don't wear your fear on your sleeve tho.

[/ QUOTE ]
Well I meant preflop. I didn't raise preflop because I was cautious with the ace, because even if I paired a hole card I wouldn't be entirely confident in my hand. Once I paired the ace and had a flushdraw I decided to raise, and everyone folded, which wasn't horrible because even if he had a weaker ace it would be difficult to extract if I hit the third ace.