I raised preflop....now what?

[Spicymoose]

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, Q/images/graemlins/club.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO calls, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds.

Flop: (9.50 SB) 3/images/graemlins/club.gif, 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">MP1 raises</font>, MP3 folds, CO calls, Hero calls.

This is probably the most common, and most confusing part of my game right now. I raised preflop and got a few callers. Now I've got a somewhat coordinated board, but all low cards. I have the worst position, yet I have heard over and over that generally you bet the flop when you raised preflop.

Now is this one of those exceptions? I am trying to find a general threshold for just checking. What am I trying to accomplish by betting here? I KNOW that I can't get everyone to fold (except for the few times hell does freeze over), but am I interested in at least knocking out a few players? I don't see how this cleans up any outs, so the only benefit I can see would maybe be to protect against redraws if I do hit my A or Q.

Once I get raised I figure its pretty straightfoward from there on out.

Turn: (7.75 BB) 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="CC3333">MP1 bets</font>, CO folds, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 8.75 BB

If you can, please not only comment on this hand, but if there are any weak generalizations I can pull out of this type of hand.

Thanks,
Spicymoose

[Fat Nicky]

I'm sure some will disagree, but in first position on the flop against 3 players who cold-called my raise, I am checking to see what the 3 players behind me do. Like you said, it's a rare occasion where all 3 fold and it sucks getting raised with just overcards.

[MoreWineII]

I agree. This flop is yucky. Betting it serves no purpose, imo. A bet probably doesn't protect your hand and it certainly isn't for value.

I'll call one bet and check/fold the turn unimproved.