[scrapperdog]

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Ok, so they were played horribly. In what way?

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Hand 1 = horrible. You say the result would have been the same, and yes that is true. But you need to bet this flop. Yes 8-9 is calling your bet. But what about A-Q, QK and all those other hands that have strait draws? You have just let them draw for free. It would not have mattered in this specific hand. But in holdem you dont let people draw to a hand better than yours for free. This is even more true when your hand is super strong like a set because then you are gonna pay them off if they hit.

Hand number 2 you cant think about laying down on the turn. You flop top 2 and it is likley AK or whatever pays you off. The part that was horrible on this hand is the mini-raise. Dont do it. Dont do it now, dont do it ever again (ok maybe an exageration). There is a flush draw out there, and it is probable that a worse hand pays you off. So bet the hand. Dont price in the flush draws, strait draws, or whatever draw someone might have.

In short you are not betting strong enough and letting people catch up and then paying them off. Yes I know you were behind both these hands. Does not matter. Take your top set or top 2 and you are gonna be good 80% of the time. Make money off these hands, dont minibet or check top set.

You seem to think this is all about you making good laydowns. That is not the problem here. The problem is that you are not betting correctly and putting yourself in a postion to have to make a big laydown.