Betting post flop question

One area of my game that I am working hard to improve is betting post flop. I have a tendency to over bet when I flop a good hand. Example: Pocket 2's I limp in with 4 others and the flop comes down 2 5 6 rainbow. I have my set, but I worry about straight draws so I overbet the pot and everyone folds. I do this alot when there are cards out there that someone could draw to. In the above example I didn't maximize the amount of chips I could have won had I not overbet. Any feedback is appreciated.

You say you "overbet" ....how 'bout an example. Do you bet 3x the BB or more?
If I flop a set...and there is a straight or flush draw out there I generally fire out a good sized bet (3xBB) to find out where I am and to make the drawers pay. If they fold...I am happy to take the bets already out there....but making it pretty cheap for them to draw on you, just to get an extra bet or two sounds like a recipe for disaster.

At least 4x BB, I guess my thinking is that I have become so gun shy about being out drawn that when I flop the nuts or close to it and anything on the board looks remotely threatening I come out firing.

In your particular scenario I probably would have slow played it after the flop for the following reason - The only real threat you have in that hand is if someone would have stayed with a 4 3 (if someone flopped a higer set , or hits a set on the turn or river you are toast anyway, but the odds of that are slim). Most likely, someone who is stupid enough to stay with a 43, unless they are in the blinds, would get so excited they would bet it pretty big if they flopped the straight. What you would need to guard against is someone in one of the blind positions. I would have probably checked the flop, smooth called any non-sizeable raise and would have thought about any sizeable bet.

Also, keep in mind that if you have been paying attention to the playing styles of the others you may be able to trap an aggressive player who would try to buy the pot with just a couple of over cards.

On the other hand, a rainbow flop like 2 10 Q would most certainly warrant a 3xBB bet to make anyone pay to draw out on you.

The only real threat you have in that hand is if someone would have stayed with a 4 3

Not necessarily...A-3s and A-4s, would be possible limping hands as well, which would give a Lagg a straight draw and a possible runner-runner flush draw.
If my stack is in good shape and have position I will limp with 3-4s to see if I catch a flop - so it is not THAT unlikely. If you make it really cheap you give 7-8s and 8-9s (more likely limping suited connectors) a reason to draw on you. In reality I tend to change up how I play hands like this. Just last night I wish I would have raised my bottom two pair on the flop...decided to smooth call to extract bets and got screwed by a 7 on the river that completed someones 5-6s straight draw.

Originally Posted by DavSimon

The only real threat you have in that hand is if someone would have stayed with a 4 3

Not necessarily...A-3s and A-4s, would be possible limping hands as well, which would give a Lagg a straight draw and a possible runner-runner flush draw.

it sounds like we're talking tourney, but in either a tourney or ring game, using tenny's example, i'd bet at least the pot for the reasons above. a variety of cards could fall to give someone a "1 card" straight, and you have to make them pay to keep drawing to it.

and limping in with A3/A4 suited in late position is not really that LAggy.

now, if the flop is 28k rainbow (unraised preflop), that's a little different story.