Am i falling into a bad pattern

[Mikey]

Lately I've been playing a little loose agressive before the flop, but I've been trying to play more of the player than the cards and sometimes its working.

All of these plays have been made on the internet.

I buckle up when its 10 players but I get really loose and agressive when its 4 or less.

When I mean loose agressive I should start by saying that I'm mostly like this preflop, raising preflop with many hands.

Now I don't always bet out on the flop because sometimes the flop touches so many different hands that I'm almost sure when my opp. checks he'll call, but on other flops I'll bet when checked to, then once I meet the call, I tend to shut down even with middle pair or bottom pair, sometimes when the turn comes out as a scare card that completes a flush or a straight or both, I'll shut down instead of taking advantage of it and betting, usually because I'm thinking it helps my opp and i'm just burning money by firing again.

So my bad pattern is this.
I pick up a Q6s and open raise to $6 in a 1-2 NL game, the BB calls.

The flop comes 9 6 5 with two spades, I have hearts.

He checks I bet $7 he calls. Turn is a 4s.

He checks I check.

On the river he bets $10 I fold.

I feel sometimes that just giving up makes them bet into me.

The pattern I'm taking about is the raise preflop. Opp. calls.

FLOP: He checks. I bet. He calls.
TURN: He checks. I check.
RIVER: He bets. I fold.

I feel i get into this pattern a lot and it may be very easy for my opp. to play against me.

[boondockst]

very interesting...i do this as a smaller stack vs. a big stack in my SNG play i noticed.....curious to see what the smarties here say....

i guess it'd be easier if the villains raised on the flop...when they call you don't know where you are...

[PinkSteel]

I am still a donkey, but I don't like checking the turn in the situation you describe, not unless your opponent is a complete calling station. Bet the turn, see if you can get some better idea of where you're at, give him at least the opportunity to hand you the pot right there, and bail if he raises.

If he *is* a calling station, then I like your line.

[meow_meow]

You don't mention your position, but unless you are on the button, I think open raising with Q6s is none too profitable. Also, if you are planning to check the turn, then bet the pot on the flop - if you get called, you are most likely beat without help, especially if a spade falls.

[PinkSteel]

P.S. That is, I like your line if I play the original Q6s, which I used to but never would any more, not after reading this forum for a little while. I'm not expert enough to play that loose from anywhere except maybe the button unraised.

[xerostar]

There's a reason why you don't raise hardly ever with sub-premium hands, and this is one of them. At least you're not the super-aggressive idiot internet player, who tries to buy the pot after failing to bluff (i.e. going all in) and knows when to give up. But the fact that you raise with AK or the like is because if you DO hit post flop, you can confidently keep betting and call an all in, knowing you have the best hand.

Hands like Q6 are only profitable when two-paired or better. You face a higher kicker in the worst case, in which you'll probably end up doubling him up.