New to Limit, trying to find my way. A few hands in need of evaluation
 

Okay, I've just lost a few juicy decent sized pots for the limit I'm playing at (0.25/0.50), and I'm curious if I could have played these better to turn a losing hand into a winning one.

I just sat down to the table, so no reads yet.

First hand:

Ultimate Bet 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Button calls, SB calls, BB calls.

Flop: (8 SB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button folds, SB calls, BB calls.

Turn: (5.50 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, SB calls, BB calls.

River: (8.50 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets</font>, BB folds, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 10.50 BB

Second hand:

Ultimate Bet 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (10 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Preflop: Hero is SB with 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+2 calls, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, Button calls, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (4 SB) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">BB raises</font>, UTG+2 folds, Button calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (5 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">BB bets</font>, Button calls, Hero calls.

River: (8 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">BB bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises</font>, Hero folds, BB calls.

Final Pot: 12 BB

Showdowns in white:

First hand: <font color="white">SB had AKo for a pair of Aces</font>
Second hand: <font color="white">BB had A6o for two pair (Aces and Fours), Button had KQo for a straight</font>

Thanks for your time.

Re: New to Limit, trying to find my way. A few hands in need of evaluation
 

They're both fine, Although hand 1 i really don't see us winning it... not even 1/8th...

So folding wouldn't be the end of the world, but bleh call it(YUCK)

Re: New to Limit, trying to find my way. A few hands in need of evaluation
 

I think both hands are folds on the river, although hand 2 I think I would 3-bet the flop and the hand would play differently from there.

edit: pot is probably big enough to call in hand 1

Re: New to Limit, trying to find my way. A few hands in need of evaluation
 

1st hand: I'd have played exactly the same way, you know realistically on the river he's got an A, but I would probably still call.

2nd hand: I'd have re-raised flop (and probably capped): you got top pair and nut flush draw. Apart from that I'd have played both the same way.

Re: New to Limit, trying to find my way. A few hands in need of evalua
 

I was thinking in hand 1 I should have checked the flop and bet the turn if it was a blank (draw heavy flop). This would have given less odds in a smaller pot, possibly allowing me to pick up a medium pot rather than losing a larger one. On the river I think it was a bad call, it can't get any more obvious that he has an Ace.

On hand 2 I was thinking I should have lead the turn again considering I had a heavy drawing hand, then the raiser probably would have raised again, that way the player drawing to the straight may have considered folding. This would have lead to a split pot rather than losing.

Re: New to Limit, trying to find my way. A few hands in need of evaluation
 

jam this into your head -

in a small pot like that you basically never want someone drawing to a gutshot to fold. the guy with KQ made two horrible calls, which is good.

another thing. if you lead the turn and are raised, sure people will fold their draws. but now you are less likely to have the best hand as well. in other words, you should basically never attempt to protect your hand by getting raised by someone else. the exception is when you are sure that the raiser would raise worse hands. in the generally passive games we play, this is rarely the case.

Re: New to Limit, trying to find my way. A few hands in need of evaluation
 

Hand 1 is a river fold, the rest is fine.

Hand 2 you have to go harder on the flop, IMO. You've got enough equity to be betting and raising for value with 2 opponents, just on the strength of you flush draw, plus you have outs to improve what is already top pair.

Re: New to Limit, trying to find my way. A few hands in need of evalua
 

That makes sense. Because they're on a drawing hand, their percentage to win is lower. Thus in the long run, I'll win more money off those drawing to hands rather than forcing them out, because I'll win a larger percentage of the time.

Did I get that right?

Re: New to Limit, trying to find my way. A few hands in need of evalua
 

waiting to the turn is sometimes a good tactic. I assume you own Small Stakes Hold'em and have read about it.

You're giving up some value/Allowing draws to get a free card that will screw you occasionally. Also you're more open to be bluffed(Someone betting the turn now, maybe they have a straight?).

However, the turn card can often affect equity vastly so its a balancing act. I actually think the way you played this(except the river call, is fine).

Hand 2 - You want straights to call, let them pad the pot whilst you draw. Reraising flop is an option due to EQUITY(35% chance to hit flush draw by the river).

Re: New to Limit, trying to find my way. A few hands in need of evaluation
 

i thought they were both fine...

i would possibly consider a turn lead in the second, as the 4 split you AT and lower, as well as giving you more outs against AQ and AK. or a flop 3bet if you have a good read on the vil as being very LAG postflop