[wiggs73]

Wanabe, you point out that I went into check-call mode on both hands... I thought I already pointed that out in my post though. I know I check-called these, but like I said, I posted these hands because that is exactly how I don't normally play. Any time I start to add a new "move" to my arsenal, I use it at the wrong time, execute it poorly, etc. early on. I think that check-calling a hand down is probably the optimal play to use sometimes, however I doubt that it was in either of these hands, but especially hand 1. Typically, I'd play hand 1 by raising pre-flop and checking the flop when it hits trying to rep JJ-KK, hoping he bets, and then jamming it. I think this is standard and had I done that, there wouldn't have been anything to post... Moving on...

Hand 1, thank you for pointing out just how scary the board was on the flop. I think I said it was scary on the turn, but you're right... I should have protected it on the flop.

Hand 2, I tend to disagree with you. I should have said in the OP that I was looking to double up here and was willing to do so even if an ace hit. I actually didn't put villain on an ace anyway. I guess he could have had one, but he had been limp-calling so many hands that he could have had a small to medium pair, 2 paint cards, small to medium suited connectors, etc. On that flop, I felt there was a great chance I was ahead and I didn't want to let him quit bluffing because I felt that he would bluff until I had doubled up or at least bluff enough so that I could push the turn and he would have the odds to call with hands I was ahead of.

Hope I didn't come across wrong in this post, but I have played enough so that I know check-calling is frowned upon, that you should protect your hand, etc. Hand 1, I'm fine with jamming the flop now. Hand 2, I'd still like to hear some reasoning as to if, when, and why I should leave check-call mode and get my chips in via a raise.