Learned an important lesson today

[Ransome]

I've learned an important lesson today. It was something I knew before, but now that I've lost money by ignoring it, I think it has sunk in.

The setting: Loose aggressive 2c/5c nolimit table. I'm sitting in 6th position.

My hand: K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Two limpers to me, I raise to 30c. I get 3 callers (hoping for less, oh well). Their positions were BB, UTG, 4th.

The flop: Q [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 2 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
It is checked to me. I really don't want to see an ace come down with 3 people still in, so I make a bigger bet than usual, 1.5x the pot. BB and UTG fold, and the Villian in 4th position calls.

The turn: 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
The Villian checks, I bet again, this time at 3/4 the pot (now I want him to stay in, and am trying to get as much from him as I think he'll give me). He calls.

The flop: 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
It is checked to me again. Here is where I make my mistake. I make a $3.40 bet (the size of his remaining stack). He calls, and turns over 8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

I should have never made such a large bet without something better than an overpair. If he had nothing, any bet would have (probably) chased him away. The only way that most people would have called my bet is if they had at least two pair or a set.

Anyway, I mostly wrote this post for myself [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I figure that writing it down will help me to remember not to do this again.

Comments?