How could I play this better?
 

This is my first post so if I posted incorrectly let me know.

Texas Hold'em Limit ($0.25/$0.50)
dealt to Me J [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]]
UTG: folds, UTG+1: calls $0.25, UTG+2: calls $0.25
Me: calls $0.25, MP2: folds, MP3: raises $0.50, CO: folds
Button: folds, Small Blind: calls $0.35,
Big Blind: calls $0.25, UTG: calls $0.25, UTG+1: calls $0.25
Me: calls $0.25
----- FLOP ----- (12 Small Bets)
[4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]]
All check to MP3, MP3: bets $0.25, Small Blind: calls $0.25
Big Blind: folds, UTG: calls $0.25, UTG+1: calls $0.25
Me: calls $0.25
----- TURN ----- (8.5 Big Bets)
[3 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]]
All check to MP3, MP3: bets $0.50, Small Blind: calls $0.50
UTG: folds, UTG+1: calls $0.50, Me: calls $0.50
----- RIVER -----(12.5 Big Bets)
[4 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]]
Checked to me, Me: bets $0.50, MP3: calls $0.50
SB: folds, UTG+1: folds
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Me: shows [Js Tc] (A Pair of Fours, Jack high)
MP3: shows [Ac As] (Two Pairs, Aces and Fours, Eight high)
MP3 collected $6.90 from Main pot

It might have been a loose preflop call from MP1, but
after that I figgure I have to call. On the flop and turn I figgured that if there was a chance MP3 had unpaired high cards then I had the odds to continue. And on the river I wanted to at least try to win the pot. Might a check raise on the river have been better or just give it up?
This hand left me feeling like I know nothing about poker.
How can I play it better?

Re: How could I play this better?
 

Muck preflop.

River is easy fold. If it was HU and you have a read, there may be more merit to it.

Re: How could I play this better?
 

Thank you for you response and help.

Re: How could I play this better?
 

As far as the post don't show the outcome it may lead to results oriented thinking which is not what proper play is about. Though I like that you cleaned it up a little from what a normal Hand History looks like.
Preflop: Play these kinds of hands in late position in unraised pots. I would have folded it here.
You had the right odds to call the flop bet for your inside straight draw. And the turn bet. I think you should just give it up on the river with four players and the pot being so large If you had any sort of hand on this river I'd say check/call because of the pot size. But since you have just the pair of 4's Jack high let it go.

Re: How could I play this better?
 

Dont get down on yourself.

I think that you were correct to call PF. And I agree that you had the odds to call on both the flop and turn for the chance of making top pair, which might have been good enough to win.

The only thing which I wouldnt have done is bet the river. You didnt improve your hand and J high was unlikely to have been good enough to win. I admit you had some chance of a bluff winning, but not much in my humble opinion.

So I would have just checked the river and folded unimproved to a bet.

Dont worry, from your post its obvious that you are a thinking player. And thinking players are the ones that learn how to play well and win. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: How could I play this better?
 

[ QUOTE ]

Dont worry, from your post its obvious that you are a thinking player. And thinking players are the ones that learn how to play well and win. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

agreed learn from every experience, pay attention at the tables. And listen to what the people have to say on here (there are a lot of great players on here, most better than me and they'll deffinately make you better if you think with them.) Also post your ideas on other peoples hands. Don't read the responses but sit and look at the hand and write how you would have played it and why, then go back and read the responses and see why other players would do something different.