I won a nice pot here but really don't like the way that I played this. This is only about my 4th time playing $2/$5. I was caught off-guard in a few ways and I really dont like my bet sizing to start with. I feel like I played this poorly in general, all comments and ideas welcome.

We have 88 in big blind.

UTG limp, everyone fold to SB, SB limp, I raise to $20, UTG and SB both call.

Flop brings 810J

I bet $35. UTG calls, SB folds

Turn brings 810J5

I bet $75. UTG calls.

River brings 810J5J

I bet $200. UTG moves in for $386. We call.

Comments:

I'm not impressed with how I played this in any way really. I dont like my early bet sizing and think it was sized too small. I was uncomfortable most of the way through here. Even on the flop we know that there are lots of turn cards that we will hate. On the turn we hate the diamond but decided to bet it anyway. We were very unhappy when he moved in on the river. He announced "you win" and we did not make him show. He is the type of guy who would say that with a jack or small flush there so we have no idea what he had. I think I got action right, preflop might have been to $25 in which case I really dont like the $35 on flop.

UTG is all in for $386 total? So it's $186 more?

I don't see what the problem is here really. Completely standard to bet all three streets here for value.

Probably can go bigger on the flop to set up a 3 street jam (and this is a very wet board).

As played we're never folding on the river. If he has JT then that's a cooler and nice hand.

I'd suggest $30-35 pre, larger on flop. River is a call at that price.

Yeah. Pre is really a semi-bluff. If you are raising, you pretty much want to take it down now with no rake rather than being OOP with little idea where you stand on most flops. Therefore, should raise bigger. Actually, I'd usually raise all hands bigger here, but even moreso if I want a fold.

A check is also fine and what I'd go with against a UTG limper, since he is probably not folding and might occasionally be l/rr. I think almost all players understand on some level that a UTG limp has a really good chance of getting raised, so they are usually limp calling.

Some people also limp/call with strong hands UTG, like good aces or 99, probably because they don't want to play a 3! pot. It would be a bit easier to eliminate stronger hands for V if he'd open limped from MP, so you'd be more successful repping something like a good ace OTF. And I think he'd be more likely to have trashy hands he would fold pre.

Thank you for the comments. I'm curious if anyone checks the turn here? If stacks are deeper?

Like hell I'm giving a single diamond and/or a 9x a free river.

Easy call in river. It's a bummer if JT got there but that's poker.

Bigger on the flop is the biggest takeaway here. You have bottom set on a soaping drippin wet board, its a myriad of hands that can and will call a large flop bet. Size up and print basically.

Too small pre either 35 or check.

Flop bad for our raising range from the blinds but as a live exploit I would bet as well

At least 2/3-3/4 pot too small OOP on the flop

Turn I bet again big at like 75%’pot

River all in

Bigger on the flop, we have very few hands we should be betting on this connected board so we can make our sizing bigger, it is a good spot to overbet.