I've been finding myself not knowing what to do in these spots.

Here's an example — 1/3, I raise in LP over some limpers to 18 with KJo, go to the flop 4 way, butto called and limpers called.

Flop (~75): QQ6ss

Checks to hero — hmm. It's a good flop to bet, but with 3 others in there, one or two who I don't really know at all yet, I'm inclined to just x/fold this flop if button bets. It feels like a good spot to bet 77+ for value.

Turn — 8o

Checks to me again. And now? Now we should obviously be more inclined to take a stab at it, but I think we should also be prepared to fire lots of rivers if we just get x/called and then checked to again, keeping an eye on live reads as well.

Or do you think it's best to just let it go and wait for a better spot? Paired boards are great heads up IP, but multiway there's just such good chance someone will stick around, and I'm basically comitting myself to running a two street bluff to get someone off of little pairs or possible busted A-high flush draws that will win at showdown.

I'm conflicted, I see the board and want to continue, but 3 other people seems to be the limit where I'm not sure whether it's profitable. 1 or 2 are generally easier to manage/analyze/decide.

Tonight I played this hand badly, stabbing at turn and then losing heart on the (blank) river because I didn't know this villain yet, and just could be sure how he would respond, even if his range is pretty well capped at something like 99 (most of the time). I'm not sure if the worse mistake was not giving up entirely, or NOT firing river after firing turn and getting checked to again on a blank river.

you can do a delayed cbet and bet turn and river since most people are: going to check Qx to the raiser and bet turn when it checks around, and peel a street with pocket pairs, and fold to the big river bet

but it's fine to just give up too, you can't win every pot.

helps a lot if you know that 1 or 2 people are just done with the hand, people can be transparent about this live.

If we're having troubles in these spots, the first thing we should do is not raise mediocre hands over many limpers just to created bloated multiway pots. I'd typically overlimp here, but if I was raising I'd raise to an amount that is likely to either take down the pot now or limit it to HU where a cbet has a decent change at taking it down (and $18 clearly wouldn't do that at my table, and it looks like it ain't at yours either).

I probably wouldn't bet the flop cuz pairs are unlikely to fold to one bet, which means we might be forced to double+ barrel, but all the while we're not sure if we're up against Qx or a draw.

Once we check the flop I would also definitely give up because now no pair is going to fold (which is why checking the flop with a pair is fine). ETA: Although as DK mentions a delay looking cbet ain't horrible against opponents who will recognize that as such (i.e. competent players readings us as a big pair that was pot controlling the flop and will now fold their A high / pairs, and not fish who will simply put us on AK, although both of these players might call pocket pairs too often for this to work).

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