Help with low-mid Pocket Pairs?

[stantheman]

Hi, Beginning player with a big problem in deciding how to play low to mid pocket pairs. Here are two hands from last night (UB $1/$2), please tell me what I did wrong.

Hand #1:

Dealt 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] in MP

2 callers before me, I call, CO calls, button calls, SB completes and BB calls. 7 players.

Flop comes J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Check, check, check, EP bets, I raise, all fold except for original better, who calls.

Turn is 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

He checks, I bet, he calls.

River is 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

He checks, I bet, he folds.

Did I go too fast? Could I have gotten more out of the pot if I played my set slower? Or is that the best I could have done?



Hand #2:

Dealt J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] in SB

UTG calls, call, call, fold, call, button folds, I raise, everyone calls. 6 players.

Flop comes 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 10[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

I bet, call, call, call, call, fold.

Turn is 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

I bet, fold, call, call call.

River is 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

I bet, call, fold, RAISE, I call, call.

Much to my chagrin, raiser turns over Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] for his trips. I lose.


Is there anything I could have done? I tried to play as fast as I could, was there an opportunity to check raise that I missed?

Any help is appreciated, I feel like I'm picking up the game fairly quickly but these pocket pairs are especially frustrating. Thanks. Stan