Hand 1: My only "read" on the Villain is 50 hands in PT - which pegged him as semi-loose and semi-passive. I lead out with 2/3 pot bet hoping to be raised so I can get more money in the pot. Turn looks like a blank and I only call the min-raise fearing monsters under my bed. I should have just re-raised all-in there. I'm losing to very few hands (34, and bigger sets). He could be min-raising with two-pair on the turn thinking it's best. Anyone think I should have raised or folded on river?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ Hero (9 handed) from (Format: Bet The Pot)

Button ($116.80)
SB ($51.15)
Hero ($125.88)
UTG ($52.78)
UTG+1 ($124.10)
MP1 ($54.17)
MP2 ($81.60)
MP3 ($99)
CO ($60.04)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , . SB posts a blind of $0.50.
6 folds, Button calls $1, SB (poster) completes, Hero checks.

Flop: ($3) , , (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $2, Button calls $2, SB calls $2.

Turn: ($9) (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $5, Button folds, SB raises to $10, Hero calls $5.

River: ($29) (2 players)
SB bets $7, Hero calls $7.

Final Pot: $43

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Hand 2: Haven't been at the table long enough to gather any accurate reads or stats. All I know so far is UTG seems loose.

What am I doing with 66 here? If I'm only playing for set value, I should be check/folding the QQ4 flop, right? If I want to play it for value, what's my play? Let's say I lead out with a bet and am re-raised. In most cases I'd say I'm behind, although someone could raise here with A-high thinking I'll fold since I'm doing a weak lead. Now if he calls... that K on the turn means I should definitely shutdown, right? I don't know why I bet that turn. I think I was trying to rep the Q or do some other stupid fancy play. His turn min-raise told me I'm definitely done with the hand.

How do you play 66 in these situations? I don't want to only play these small-mid pocket pairs for set value.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ Hero (9 handed) from (Format: Bet The Pot)

MP3 ($50)
CO ($50)
Button ($159.16)
SB ($37.70)
Hero ($50.55)
UTG ($21.82)
UTG+1 ($85.50)
MP1 ($46.75)
MP2 ($16.23)

Preflop: Hero is BB with , . MP3 posts a blind of $0.50. CO posts a blind of $0.50. SB posts a blind of $0.25.
UTG calls $0.50, 3 folds, MP3 (poster) raises to $1.5, 3 folds, Hero calls $1.50, UTG calls $1.50.

Flop: ($6.75) , , (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks, MP3 bets $2, Hero calls $2, UTG folds.

Turn: ($10.75) (2 players)
Hero bets $5, MP3 raises to $10, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $25.75

hand 1 - i bet full pot on the flop and 2/3 to full on the turn, definitely raise when he minraises the turn and be willing to get it all in then and there. As played, raising the river is iffy I think. The way he played it doesn't look like a FD at all, but there is the straight out there and you don't want to raise and have a donk push his 2pair and you have to fold, so I don't mind the call in this case.

hand 2 - I either lead for $5 on that board or CR to $8; check-calling is the worst line of all i think (check-folding is better imo) as you're putting money in while having no idea where you stand and at the same time finding out no more information. As played I check-fold the turn, or if you want to take a stab, bet $10, your $5 bet is usually not going to be respected.

Might I just step in and make a generalization about your play - you seem to be making your bets too small, something I had a problem with when I made my transition from playing a large amount of tournaments to cash games. In tournaments betting 1/2 the pot as a CB or steal attempt is usually correct, but in a cash game it is usually more correct to bet closer to the full pot, both when you have a made hand (ie flop/turn in hand 1) or when you're trying to buy/steal the pot (turn in hand 2). It doesn't seem like a HUGE deal but I recently made the switch and i've noticed a major difference in that i'm winning a lot more pots uncontested as well as winning bigger pots with my monsters vs 2nd best hands. Just something to think about

1: bet more on all streets, stick it in on the turn...
2: FOLD the FLOP! This just isn't big EV at the lower levels...it's just not worth it to float the flop.

You're right, I'm not used to the betting amounts in cash games. I'll have to adjust.

I'd have put him all in on the river on the first hand. His play screams "I don't have a flush." Essentially he tossed out a blocking bet, IMO. You put him all in and there's a good chance you are ahead. And if you are behind to a straight, there's at least some chance that he won't call fearing you have the flush.