Moved up to $50NL 6max, got a couple of "iffy" hands...

[djoyce003]

hand 1 is soooooo bad on so many levels.

Headsup your hand might be good and I realize that. If I am in a similar hand against a villain that is decent and i suspect he is on whiffed overs and just making a continuation bet, I'll smooth call the flop. Then he will almost always check the turn, you can bet it and take down the pot. You didn't elect to do that, you made a crappy minraise. Repeat after me, "fish make min-raises, we don't." If you make a raise, make it a real one that is difficult to call. That way, when you make a reraise with a set he'll think you have a little pocket pair and you'll get paid off with it.

Once you made the min-raise and got called....for god's sakes, CHECK BEHIND WITH THE OESD. You have a pair of fives, which are almost certainly behind after he called the raise. You've now picked up a very strong draw and you have a chance to see the river for free.....take the free shot at making the straight. It is criminally bad to make a bet when you've picked up a strong draw that will give you a win but a raise will force you out....you did exactly that.

hand 2 - pot the turn, you've gotta fold that river, you are behind. Villain probably slowplayed a set on the flop, got burned on the turn, then filled up on the river and thinks you'll call the massive overbet.