I have been tightening up my starting hands as I have been learning more and I think I have been having a bad run lately since I started tightening up. My recent experience when raising pre-flop with solid hands has been that I am getting beat for large amounts by loose players that come in following a pre-flop raise from me with large ranges of hands that makes it very hard for me to do anything more than make a wild guess at what they are holding.

I am really wondering if I should be conservative in situations like the one below when a flop shows an overcard to my pair, a paired board, straight/flush possibilities, etc. This one really had me scared because of an overcard, a pair on the board, and a flush draw to top it off. I did bet a bit more than I normally would pre-flop from my position, because of how wild some of the players had been at the table with calling lesser amounts, in an attempt to narrow the field.

I hope I am thinking of this the proper way and asking the right types of questions. If there is something I should have been asking myself while playing this hand beyond what I have below, please let me know.

• In looking at the hand, I think I made a big mistake by checking the flop instead of making a bet to backup my action pre-flop. Am I correct in this assessment despite the board?
• Assuming that I had bet out on the flop, what assumptions should I have made about the hand the button had if I was called?
• Assuming that I had bet out on the flop, how should I have played it if the button raised my bet 3x+?

Button was 74/26/1

No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (6 handed) - Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($3.85)
SB ($1.11)
BB ($8.45)
UTG ($0.64)
Hero (MP) ($3.77)
CO ($1)

Preflop: Hero is MP with Q, Q
1 fold, Hero bets $0.11, 1 fold, Button calls $0.11, SB calls $0.10, 1 fold

Flop: ($0.35) A, 6, 6 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, Button bets $0.17, 1 fold, Hero ???

Total pot: $0.35

Thank you for your input and any help you can give addressing confident play as I do feel I am playing scared right now since adopting tighter hand selection and seeing ALOT of my hands get beat up.

i would c-bet the flop.. that board is hits our range more than it hits his.. EDIT:..if we get raised 3x then folding is fine...if you have solid reads on what villain's aggression means then going all the way with your hand sometimes is ok aswell..

but since you are just starting out i would suggest bet/olding flop is probably the best line.

Ye def bet out on flop