Sorry, I do not have this software people sometimes use for showing hands here but I think I can explain the position and ask my questions succinctly anyway: I was on the button in a 200NL game (PokerStars), with 88. It was early in the game and I did not really know anything to speak of about the other players. Pre-flop, one caller in mid-position, and everyone else folded, I raised to 3BB's, both blinds folded and the original caller called my raise (2 players).

The flop was 9 8 4 (rainbow) and he checked to me. I was unsure what to do and bet $10 (5BB's) which I think is quite a big bet for that game? He raised by the same size as my bet.

First question: what should I do now?

Second question: did I do something wrong before this point?

Thank you in advance for any replies ...

You should probably raiser bigger PF - conventional 2p2 wisdom says a PF raise should be 3-4 times the BB plus 1BB for every limper. Since the limper is probably weak player you should be raising big enough with your entire range to drive the blinds out of the pot to get heads-up with the fish, but this is all debatable. I would raise to 4BB here with 88 and a ton of other hands as well.

Postflop you shouldn't be sizing your bets and raises in relation to big blinds but the pot and the stack sizes of the people in the pot. A good size to bet here 2/3 of the pot to full pot, depending how much the limp-caller has left in his stack (I am assuming you sat in with a full 100BB stack). Just from his PF play we can assume he is a weak player who goes to showdown too much so you should go after as big a part of his stack as you can, without worrying about balancing your bet-sizing with possible bluffs you might have in this spot (I mean you would obviously not bet full pot as a bluff here, but if he is full-stacked you should probably bet very close to full pot to build the pot since you have the nuts).

Now that he minraised I'd probably call and let him hang himself on turn, with a board this dry. Or you can make a small 3bet if you think he doesn't have many pure bluffs in his range but rather 9x type hands so you can get money in now instead of scary (for him) overs falling. There are many options here and all of them are +EV, it really depends what kind of fish we're talking about.

Thank you. Yes, sorry, I should have specified, I had my $200 buy-in, give or take a dollar or two, and he had about the same, so both players were full-stacked. At the point at which I raised $10, I think there was about $19 in the pot, so I raised about half the pot. Near enough, anyway.

If I calculate correctly, after his flop raise there's about 50 in the pot and it costs you 10 to call, after which you have 170 left (pot is 60).

You should play on the assumption that you're in front (only hand which beats you is pocket 99). He may sit on a straight draw, so only calling is imo not the best action. I'd give him a raise which denies him the right pot odds, probably another 45. If he calls, I'd go all-in on any turn card.

Thank you, Jako. This makes sense to me. (If you want to see the outcome I mentioned it in my blog here: http://mariaspokerblog.blogspot.com/...ccident-1.html )

i think you should rerais him .. set on this spot= monster