Suited connector...made flush but lost to higher flush

I have been trying to work suited connector cards into my game, but this hand I got BURNED. Please give me advice!!! This is pokerstars .05/.1 6max. I had been playing TAG and all I know about patiowack was he was LAG, but I had only seen a couple hands of his so my read was not great. I had put him on a face card two pair or possibly trip 5. Here is what I am thinking :

1. Raise pre flop to semi bluff the face cards on flop as I was on cutoff and it was folded to me. He probably would have called anyway with his draw, but is that how you guys usually play suited connectors in this spot?

2. Check behind the river?

Thanks in advance for your advice!!!

PokerStars Game #2148741589: Hold'em No Limit ($0.05/$0.10) - 2005/07/20 - 20:25:11 (ET)
Table 'Laertes' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 2: patiowack ($3.90 in chips)
Seat 3: Krol Patrol ($8.85 in chips)
Seat 4: Leonxx ($24.80 in chips)
Seat 5: benny88888 ($12.50 in chips)
Seat 6: DupeBros ($5.60 in chips)
patiowack: posts small blind $0.05
Krol Patrol: posts big blind $0.10
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to benny88888 [7d 6d]
Leonxx: folds
benny88888: calls $0.10
DupeBros: folds
patiowack: calls $0.05
Krol Patrol: checks
POT .3
*** FLOP *** [5c Qd Ad]
patiowack: checks
Krol Patrol: checks
benny88888: bets $0.30
patiowack: calls $0.30
Krol Patrol: folds
POT .9
*** TURN *** [5c Qd Ad] [5d]
patiowack: checks
benny88888: bets $0.50
patiowack: calls $0.50
POT 1.9
*** RIVER *** [5c Qd Ad 5d] [Ts]
patiowack: checks
benny88888: bets $1
patiowack: raises $2 to $3 and is all-in
benny88888: calls $2
*** SHOW DOWN ***
patiowack: shows [9d 8d] (a flush, Ace high)
benny88888: shows [7d 6d] (a flush, Ace high - lower cards)
benny88888 said, "lol"
patiowack collected $7.55 from pot
benny88888 said, "wow"
benny88888 said, "nh"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $7.90 | Rake $0.35
Board [5c Qd Ad 5d Ts]
Seat 2: patiowack (small blind) showed [9d 8d] and won ($7.55) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 3: Krol Patrol (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: Leonxx folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: benny88888 showed [7d 6d] and lost with a flush, Ace high
Seat 6: DupeBros (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

The size of your bets are a bit perplexing to me. You bet the pot on the flop when you are on a draw. Bet half the pot on the turn when you make your hand and bet basically a value bet on the river. The only hands that are going to be check raising this river are made flushes and boats. Bet like 2/3 of the pot, like .2 on the flop, or consider just taking a free card. Remember, when you are on a draw you want to encourage people to call. Bet about 3/4 of the pot on the turn, say .75 and just check the river when the board pairs like this to avoid these sticky situations.

I bet pot on the flop as a dumb semi bluff to hopefully perplex my opp, which completely worked against me. Looking back, I should have checked behind unless I plan to rep top pair or something on the turn as well. And looking back on the river, I was just too excited I caught my flush on the turn and thought he was weak as he smooth called the bet I'd do if I had a Q or A with good kicker. I know this is dumb at these levels, but I wasn't thinking clearly as I had suffered a bad beat recently (should have sat out a few hands).

Anyway, thanks for the post, it makes a lot of sense. Does anyone think I should have raised pre flop? I have seen a lot of you do that with suited connectors in position and it makes sense since you can either bluff with high cards flopping or take a free card usually.

IMO, your 5-handed in the CO with fold to you....a raise here would not be a bad option.

I think it all depends on your table and what your plan of attack is postflop...

I usually only raise suited connectors when I need to mix up my image a little. I'm pretty tight usually, so it gets to a point where people fold to my raises.

Sometimes, I'll raise to steal the blinds or rep the flop. That can be done with any two cards, but connectors have the benefit of hitting more draws.

The river bet isn't so bad as long as you are willing to lay it down to a check-raise from your opponent, since the only hands that are going to do this are hands that beat you. This play is rarely a bluff by the villain. Its just less overall risk and reward to check. River bets are tricky.

Originally Posted by lowBoy

I usually only raise suited connectors when I need to mix up my image a little. I'm pretty tight usually, so it gets to a point where people fold to my raises.

Sometimes, I'll raise to steal the blinds or rep the flop. That can be done with any two cards, but connectors have the benefit of hitting more draws.

Use the gap principal when folded to in LP. I know it's a bit LAG, but it's the way to go. You may have still lost, but you gotta rep it.