PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (9 handed) from (Format: Bet The Pot)

saw flop|saw showdown

MP1 ($1.98)
MP2 ($4.96)
MP3 ($3.69)
CO ($2.10)
Button ($6.83)
SB ($1.28)
Hero ($5)
UTG ($2.41)
UTG+1 ($5.09)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , .
2 folds, MP1 calls $0.02, 1 fold, MP3 calls $0.02, 1 fold, Button calls $0.02, SB completes, Hero checks.

My first hand of my AM session that I enjoy before I have to leave for work.

Flop: ($0.10) , , (5 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.04, MP1 calls $0.04, MP3 calls $0.04, Button folds, SB folds.

I didn't want to bet too much and drive everyone out of the pot. I notice I do that quite often. After reading Ed Miller's book I understand that I want a strong hand and I want people to call (or raise) my bets. Driving them out of the pot will win me the pot but I could win more money if I let them hang around. He says you will get drawn out on some of the time, but you will win more loot in the long run than closing them out of the pot.

With that in mind I bet just under half the pot.

Turn: ($0.22) (3 players)
Hero bets $0.14, MP1 folds, MP3 raises to $0.5, Hero raises to $0.86, MP3 raises to $3.63, Hero calls $2.77.

Now I want to bet just over half the pot. When I get raised I reraised instead of going all-in. I was hoping my opponent would go in on her own.

Should I have just bet the pot when I start the turn action??

River: ($7.48) (2 players)

Final Pot: $7.48

Should I have bet 3/4 of the pot on the flop with the 2 diamonds showing?? Thanks for the help. I think the hardest part of this game is betting your hand properly.

Ed Miller is either wrong or you misunderstood him. This is a draw heavy flop that is bound to interest people.

Bet the pot on the flop.
Turn bet is better but once he raises, you need to reraise more than the min amount. You want him all in. Of course he went all in for you.

SNG: Beware, you didn't flop the nuts. J8 has you beat on the flop.

That being said, I'd definitely bet more on the flop. I know you don't want everyone to fold with a hand like that, but nor do you want them to get the right odds to call for a flush draw. I'd like what you suggested, at least 3/4 of the pot. Once one person calls a very small bet, the next person is getting better odds to call, then the next is getting even better after that and so on. This might not be such a bad play if it was only heads up between you and another person (although even then I'd bet at least half the pot), but with several people left to act it's pretty dangerous. After 3 or 4 callers the last person might have the right odds to even call to a gutshot straight draw. So keep this in mind if you're slow peddling a strong hand. You really don't want to soft play too much with lots of people left to act, particularly with a flush draw out there.

As far as the turn, you're probably okay. It's doubtful he called with J8 from middle position. He's betting like he maybe caught a set on the turn or slow peddled one on the flop. As far as underbetting the pot, that's sometimes a good idea against an aggressive player heads up. I like the reraise better than the all-in if, as before, the opponent is fairly aggressive and you sense he doesn't like to be pushed around. He may fold an all-in (you've taken all the aggression out of his hands) but he might try to push you off the hand if you leave him some room to maneuver. Over betting and under betting a pot is a play you want to get used to playing from time to time (heads up against an opponent). It tends to confuse them more than just a straight 3/4 or full pot bet.