I play primarily $100NL $1/2 blinds at my local casino and sometimes I play online $50NL at Empire. I am having a problem playing against a pre-flop raise as far as figuring out if my hand is good after the flop. For instance:

You are in the BB with TT, and a MP or LP player makes it $10 pre-flop (this is the standard rise in the live game). Assuming you call:

Situation 1: Flop comes and you have an overpair
a. Do you bet into him?
b. If you check and he bets do you just call or check-raise?
c. If you raise and he calls and the Turn is another rag what then?

Situation 2: Flop comes Jack high or even Q high
a. How do you decide if your hand is good?

This can also be a problem for those who like to play around with suited connectors as they put us in some tough situations post-flop. Now I am talking about the times when you flop 1 pair against a PFR and are bet into. (I know it is not really good to call a PFR HeadsUp with suited connectors, but I believe these hand are a gold mine if played carefully and sparingly so please no comments about not calling with these hands) I feel like if I am laying down the one pair every time, that I am losing money because it is more likely for an opponent to have unimproved overcards than a big pair right?

I think this is an important subject that creates many marginal situations for players and I appreciate any comments.

Jason as with most poker there is no one correct way to play 1010 from the SB vs a raise. It all depends on your opponants What is your read on you opponant? Is he a rock?? maniac?? Against an aveage player I will probably just call and hope to hit a set. If you miss your set this is when you need to know your opponant, the all important question, does he have a bigger pair or unimproved overcards. Pay attention to how your opponants have played and go with it. If you think he has unproved big cards a check raise is a good play. If the flop comes J high i usually play it very similarly as undercards assuming the PFR raise comes from a solid player.

Your question about suited connectors you are going to have to be more specid, no suited connectors dont play well heads up, when you flop a pair it is most likely not going to be a big pair, if you opponant hasnt improved his big cards you can take it down with a check raise, but you can run into lots of trouble and lose your whole stack if your wrong and he reraises you with a big pair and most likely you are drawing at 5 outs.

Jason... I don't know if this is the popular opinion, but I generally play a hand like 10s like any other middle to low pair... I'll call and hope for trips. I would assume he has an overpair or AK AQ, because I just don't see many people raise w/ small connectors or crap. I think if the flop has an AKQ or J and he bets into you, I'd fold. I'd bet if the board shows 3 undercards... but if he raises significantly, I would still probably fold. Most of the people I read (ie. palman, Ice...) like small connectors to break a big pair. But I still don't see most people raising w/ them preflop. I play around the same limits you do on Ultimate, and I will let someone steal those on the bluff a couple times and just wait till they try it when I have something, and I'll take all their chips.

i play B&M at foxwoods, 1-2 $100, standard raise there is $12-15, the aggression is intense....this is where you need reads on players...I play 10 10 like a mid PP....chances are an overcard will hit.....If you are BB, you are out of position and should play for a set or fold....If you have an overpair, and get the sense he's on a draw or has something week, you can definitely get aggressive, but you need a read...

Thats the beauty of live game 20+ hour seshes....takes different talents...online can teach you the odds, but RL you need to learn to read....