I'm a fairly newbish player with lots still to learn and still don't know how to play big unsuited hands out of position for sure, but at what point in this hand should I have gotten worried that the final outcome would turn out like it did? Should I have folded to the river bet? I didn't think I should at the time obviously, but now I'm not so sure. Should he have even called the preflop raise? I wouldn't have done it were I him. Considering our stack sizes on the turn, should I have just pushed at that point?

Party Poker
$25 NL Texas Hold'em

Seat 2: Button ( $29.20 ) Villain
Seat 3: SB ( $53.25 )
Seat 4: BB ( $10.55 )
Seat 5: UTG ( $31.23 )
Seat 6: UTG+1 ( $29.60 )
Seat 7: UTG+2 ( $30.87 )
Seat 8: MP1 ( $23.53 )
Seat 9: MP3 ( $24.75 ) Hero
Seat 10: MP2 ( $32.70 )
Seat 1: CO ( $25 )
small blind [$0.10].
big blind [$0.25].

Hero has

UTG calls [$0.25].
UTG+1 folds.
UTG+2 calls [$0.25].
MP1 folds.
Hero raises [$1].
MP3 folds.
CO folds.
Villain calls [$1].
SB calls [$0.90].
BB folds.
UTG folds.
UTG2 calls [$0.75].

Pot: $4.75


Flop
SB checks.
UTG+2 checks.
Hero bets [$3].
Villain calls [$3].
SB folds.
UTG+2 folds.

Pot: $10.75

Turn
Hero bets [$5].
Villain calls [$5].

Pot: $20.75


River
Hero checks.
Villain bets [$7].
Hero calls [$7].

Pot: $34.75

Results:
Villain shows [ Kd, 4h ] two pairs, kings and fours.
Hero doesn't show [ Ah, Ks ] a pair of kings.
Villain wins $33.05 from the main pot with two pairs, kings and fours

I think you played it fine overall. I would have bet more on the flop and turn though. $4 on the flop and assuming he calls, $10 on the turn. The way you play it, I would bet $8 on the turn. Make him pay for draws if he's got you beat. Also, by the river, you pretty much have to call his bet (all in if you play it my way) but I like the check call.

I don't like to overplay tptk too much but this seems like one of the times you just have to go with it. If he caught his 3 outer with KT or KJ, so be it. If it was KT, he would have raised you on the turn.

If you have a solid read that he is not on a flush draw, you could check raise that turn all in but since the flush draw is likely, I think you have to bet.

I like the way you played it. The only thing I would suggest is what briacheck said. Bet more on the flop and turn. Close to if not full pot on both. Check/calling the river is fine.

Thanks for the critique guys. I can see your point of betting more on the flop and turn but I'm still kind of a wuss sometimes when it comes to the actual "gambling" part of poker. Especially the bigger bets on the turn and river in situations like this. The 3/4 pot bet on the flop normally would have been a full pot bet but lately every dadburned time I make a full pot bet on the flop everyone folds so I thought I would drop it down a bit to keep someone in since I figured I had the best hand at that time. Turned out I was wrong but that was what was going through my mind at the time I made the flop bet. As for what I was thinking when I bet the turn, well, like I already said, I'm still kind of a gambling wuss (still trying to build a nice BR for NL 50 and NL 100 for when that time comes) at this point. But I will try to take your guys' advice and raise those bets up to make them pay more for chasing or or increase my chances of pushing them out when they actually are ahead.
Thanks again. Nice to hear that I didn't really screw up too badly.

I raise 5x-6xBB preflop as well. That helps keep the K4 out of the hand. All though at Party $25 he still probably calls.

Good Luck. I can say from personal experience you've made one of best decision in playing poker by participating in this forum.

I raise more pf too. I don't like AK vs. 3-4 players.

I agree with the others about raise more flop and turn. However, if you aren't comfortable with that much betting with TPTK, then check the turn. You're letting him draw to the flush for cheap but you do gain pot control.

The way you played it APPEARS very weak. Flop = 3/4 pot bet. Turn = 1/2 flop bet. River = check. Ugh. That screams fear (steadily declining bets) and a good player will jump on you.


Tim

A rule of thumb I use on raising is 3 times the blind + BB for every limper.

So if I am playing 1 - 2 blinds and two people limp into me then I am raising to 10. It has served me well so far.

Try playing lower limits this can help in giving you the courage to bet strong and not be worried and by playing the micro limits you learn how to play solid ABC poker because people do not fall for bluffs. And read every book you can get your hands on and buy Pokertracker.