Hey! I tend to always win rather small if I win and spew a lot if I don't. Here are two examples:

Hand 1, Villain seems rather tight and passive. I probably should have noticed the call/check/raise pattern which often represents a set..

No Limit Hold'em $0.01/$0.02
PokerStars
6 players

Stacks:
UTG - UTG ($2.00)
MP - Hero ($2.27)
CO - CO ($2.76)
BTN - BTN ($2.18)
SB - SB ($2.12)
BB - BB ($1.76)

Preflop: ($0.03, 6 players) Hero is MP with K J
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.06, 2 folds, SB calls $0.05, BB calls $0.04

Flop: 2 J 5 ($0.18, 3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $0.11, SB calls $0.11, 1 fold

Turn: 9 ($0.40, 2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.26, SB calls $0.26

River: K ($0.92, 2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.59, SB raises to $1.69 (all-in), Hero calls $1.10

Total Pot: $4.30
SB shows 9 9 (three of a kind, Nines)
Hero shows K J (two pair, Kings and Jacks)

SB wins $4.15




Hand 2, no Stats on Villain. Could this have been avoided or just unlucky?
No Limit Hold'em $0.01/$0.02
PokerStars
6 players

Stacks:
UTG - UTG ($1.48)
MP - Hero ($4.19)
CO - CO ($2.52)
BTN - BTN ($1.95)
SB - SB ($1.49)
BB - BB ($1.15)

Preflop: ($0.03, 6 players) Hero is MP with Q A
UTG calls $0.02, Hero raises to $0.06, 4 folds, UTG calls $0.04

Flop: J 6 A ($0.15, 2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $0.10, UTG raises to $0.20, Hero calls $0.10

Turn: 5 ($0.55, 2 players)
UTG bets $0.26, Hero calls $0.26

River: A ($1.07, 2 players)
UTG bets $0.52, Hero calls $0.52

Total Pot: $2.11
UTG shows A 6 (a full house, Aces full of Sixes)
Hero mucks Q A

UTG wins $2.04


Thanks!

I dont think you made any Major mistakes. You were 2nd best IT HAPPENS.

hand 1 u can fold to the river raise, too much out there

That would be a maybe. Fold is NOT a bad play on the river of hand 1 BUT
Hero has already committed 1/2 his stack.
I would need a read to fold this spot.
2 pair heads up is a pretty strong hand.
I would be much more inclined to fold the river in a 3 or 4 way hand.

As I said before I did NOT see OP making any MAJOR mistakes.
Some times You are just second best even if you played it right.

Wp,

Add +1bb (or even +2bb) to your open raises for every limper.

In hand 2; really reconsider the strength of TPGK on the turn when you face a barrel. Most of the time, folding is best at the micro's.

http://www.thepokerbank.com/strategy/theorems/baluga/

^^^

Hand 1 you say he's passive. Yet when he calls twice and checkshoves the river you still call? This is not even close to a bluff often enough given the pot odds.

Hand 2 raise bigger preflop, can probably fold turn given the action. You should call against better players, problem is they don't limpcall and checkminraise flops, so it's really only bad players who put you in this situation.

Yes exactly!

OP, this is a must-read.