[Ironman]

Nina,

Take a look at the first hand and ask yourself how things would have changed if you raised it pre-flop.

A A 4 from the button is something I would want to be aggressive with.

You get a favorable flop (maybe some of the spade flush limpers would have folded preflop...but that's not really important at this point).

The action is checked to you.

You bet. Some of those people fold (like the A 2 people).

The turn brings a great card giving you nut low (but frankly, it didn't need to be that good if you played the hand from a position of strength right off the bat).

If you raised preflop, you would have had a chance to scoop rather than just pick up half.

By playing it passively, you needed the cards to fit your hand well....in this case it worked out but I wouldn't let it come to chance like that.

I'll let others comment on hands 2 & 3.

Dave