JJ oop HH

this may be a better hand to post in the histories forum, but in light of all the newer guys asking about small/micro stakes, i wanted to post a typical hand with thought process behind it....hoping it will help. warning: this is probably not textbook for JJ, but these "situations" develop down here ALL the time, and i want to show how to keep things relatively cheap because i feel most rookies lose a stack here.

setup: villain is rather loose, and has position on me. he has been trying to raise me a bit too often for me to continue to "trust" his hand is strong...all the time. i am looking for a spot to "play back" at him, in hopes i can send a message and back him off. no specific reads, just that he and i have been pissing back and forth a bit...each of us wanting to control the table's betting.

hand:
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

BB ($17.15)
UTG ($11.50)
MP ($6.40)
CO ($12.85)
Button ($15)
Hero ($17.45)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...es/diamond.gif.
1 fold, MP calls $0.10, 1 fold, Button raises to $0.2, Hero raises to $0.6, 1 fold, MP calls $0.50, Button calls $0.40.

Flop: ($1.90) 8http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...es/diamond.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif, Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...es/diamond.gif (3 players)
Hero bets $1.5, MP folds, Button calls $1.50.

Turn: ($4.90) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...es/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks.

River: ($4.90) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...miles/club.gif (2 players)
Hero bets $2, Button raises to $12.9, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $19.80

i almost always try to stab at scare boards if i am the pf raiser. if they come along...at these stakes..., they have the scary card, a big draw or something really close to me. and since two of those three are scary...to me...i give up to a caller. it becomes a MARGINAL situation, and i want no part of it. i take my lumps and move on before it gets TOO EXPENSIVE.

but, here, he and i had mixed it up in the blinds a bit, and i was a bit more pissed at him. so, when he checked behind on the turn, i figure oop i would take a stab at the river. i think i beat 50% of what is still out there (AK, smaller pp's, maybe a str8 draw...all of which may have called my pf raise.)(QQ+ prolly reraises me pf..so that should be out..especially since this guy is pretty aggressive), and with a small river bet (textbook play for me), i can get out if i get raised. anything that feels good about their situation will raise my blocking bet...but, to a scared villain, it looks more like a value bet (thats why i like it so much). he had enough balls to push over me...so i have to give credit to a flush, set/boat, or at least the third Q. easy fold. a painful one, but easy nonetheless.

in my opinion, if you want to build a bankroll while playing the micros, you need to get good at reading "situations," not necessarily specific hands. and you need to learn how to get out when you dont know where you are, and avoid the thinking of "this guy is bullying me. i gotta take a stand here." that is the first way to get caught. ONLY A FEW 10 NL PLAYERS WILL THINK ABOUT THE SITUATION. MOST ARE ONLY PLAYING THE CARDS IN THEIR HANDS..AND THE BOARD!! forget trying to "play back" or "outhink" these guys. it only gets you into trouble. remember, your job is to build a bankroll here, and move on. dont worry about practicing "moves" yet, you only get called when you run up against something worth calling.

here is a hand that presents a "situation" where you can be more confident...so here, you punish the caller.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

UTG ($15.15)
MP ($24.75)
Button ($2)
SB ($13)
Hero ($10)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...miles/club.gif, Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif.
1 fold, MP calls $0.10, 2 folds, Hero raises to $0.4, MP calls $0.30.

Flop: ($0.85) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...es/diamond.gif, 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...miles/club.gif (2 players)
Hero bets $0.6, MP calls $0.60.

Turn: ($2.05) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...es/diamond.gif (2 players)
Hero bets $1.5, MP calls $1.50.

River: ($5.05) 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...miles/club.gif (2 players)
Hero bets $2.5, MP calls $2.50.

Final Pot: $10.05

notice the same "value/block" bet on the river. i like 1/2 the pot, but whatever you choose...KEEP IT THE SAME whether or not you are trying to block a raise, or bet for value....just in case you run up against a "thinker."

to me, that is the secret to micro stakes NL. get a sense for the situations that are developing, and avoid marginal ones. yet, punish the ones where you are almost certain you are ahead in the hand.

that alone will allow you to build a proper bankroll, and get the hell out of here.

thoughts/flames welcome.