Newb preflop play, please help.
 

Hopefully I am posting right, I know I made a newb play by not raising in the big blind, but then after I get a decent flop, is there anything I can do to protect?? This was the most people in the pot after 20 hands, I left after this hand. Would appreciate comments on all streets.
"Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (5 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is BB with T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
UTG calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (3 SB) Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG folds, SB calls.

Turn: (2.50 BB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, SB calls.

River: (4.50 BB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">SB raises</font>, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 8.50 BB"

Re: Newb preflop play, please help.
 

[ QUOTE ]
is there anything I can do to protect??

[/ QUOTE ]

In this small a pot offering 1:4 is the best you're going to do.

Re: Newb preflop play, please help.
 

Oh, by the way I lost to Q 9 offsuit. If that helps any.

Re: Newb preflop play, please help.
 

[ QUOTE ]
Oh, by the way I lost to Q 9 offsuit. If that helps any.

[/ QUOTE ]

These things happen.

Re: Newb preflop play, please help.
 

At first I was going to say that checking was good, but seeing that this is 5 handed (less likely that the UTG limper has a better A), raising is not too bad a plan. You probably have an edge, but it's not too huge. Waiting to the flop to exploit a bigger edge is a reasonable plan, if perhaps not totally optimal 5 handed. You have to weigh your opponents, and how well you play postflop.

Your postflop play is perfect.

Re: Newb preflop play, please help.
 

[ QUOTE ]
Oh, by the way I lost to Q 9 offsuit. If that helps any.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't be results oriented. Actually, had you raised preflop, SB's play would have been close to perfect, but your lack of a raise forced him to make a big mistake (according to the FToP) on the flop by calling your bet. You won a lot of Sklansky bucks on this hand.

Re: Newb preflop play, please help.
 

Well considering the pot was small, and since the table proved to be relatively tight, less than 4 players to the flop, with minimal raises, I just called fearing an AJ or higher, and didn't feel too strongly about my A T, in this situation is position as important as anything? The flop was about the best I could hope for, but I didn't sit for long enough to get too much info. Figured I was calling down with another Ace-rag, was it okay to leave after so few hands given the tight-passive play, or would it be best to stay a bit longer?? This hand was obviously a bad beat, but I think it could have been avoided with a bit more aggressive play. Thanks for your thoughts.

Re: Newb preflop play, please help.
 

whats FToP?

Re: Newb preflop play, please help.
 

Welcome to the forum.

Bad beat posts suck.

There is nothing -EV about checking PF. Depending on the situation, raising PF might be more +EV than checking, but not always. I raise this specific hand, not others.

Post flop is fine.

Now we get to the real reason I'm posting in this hand...

[ QUOTE ]
after I get a decent flop, is there anything I can do to protect??

[/ QUOTE ]

What are you trying to protect your hand from? Serious question.

Re: Newb preflop play, please help.
 

The Fundamental Theorem of Poker. Sklansky's Theory of Poker is a great (mandatory) read.

Edit: When you asked if there was anything you could do protect, you did. You offered a 5 out draw 4:1 odds, and he took them. That's a really big mistake on his part, and you'll gain large sums of money in the long run based on his play. The long run, however, is very, very long.