surely standard against unknown?

[pantherhound]

------HAND 3------
Game #2597913744: Hold'em NL ($0.25/$0.50) - 2006/06/05 - 19:36:24 (UK)
Table "Kapelle" Seat 3 is the button.
Seat 1: niedobry ($49.25 in chips)
Seat 2: Boeffel ($62.02 in chips)
Seat 3: Banker ($47.20 in chips)
Seat 4: Smiffy44 ($52.95 in chips)
Seat 5: quesonvu ($16.90 in chips)
Seat 6: mueller ($30.60 in chips)
Seat 7: tcoll17 ($12.40 in chips)
Seat 8: kareem5 ($32.15 in chips)
Seat 9: Spearhead ($32.86 in chips)
Seat 10: 72cracked ($46 in chips)
Smiffy44: posts small blind $0.25
quesonvu: posts big blind $0.50
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to Smiffy44 [Ks Kd]
mueller: folds
tcoll17: folds
kareem5: folds
Spearhead: folds
72cracked: raises to $2.50
niedobry: folds
Boeffel: folds
Banker: folds
Smiffy44: raises to $6
quesonvu: folds
72cracked: calls $3.50
----- FLOP ----- [8h 2h 4c]
Smiffy44: bets $6
72cracked: raises to $25
Smiffy44: folds
Smiffy44 sits out
Returned uncalled bets $19 to 72cracked
72cracked: doesn't show hand
72cracked collects $23.30 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot $24.50 Main pot $23.30 Rake $1.20
Board [8h 2h 4c]
Seat 1: niedobry folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Boeffel folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Banker (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: Smiffy44 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: quesonvu (big blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: mueller folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: tcoll17 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: kareem5 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Spearhead folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 10: 72cracked collected $23.30

[Lukie]

raise more preflop, and bet more on the flop with the intention of getting it all-in as soon as possible.

[DaHorror]

I don't understand the play here...why are you betting half the pot and then not calling his push?
At least bet 2/3-3/4 pot and then fold if you have a strong sense that you are beat.
Lukie's right about the preflop reraise...3x is standard so 7.50 preflop and then bet/call his allin on this flop.

Your half-pot postflop bet reeks of missed overs - he's likely to have a good pair here and will play back at you given your betting pattern - there's no way to tell whether or not it's AA so I think you have to pay off AA or a set here.
You seem to have gone for a trap play and then given up on it...did you have some read/sense that told you to do so?

[pantherhound]

I don't understand the play here...why are you betting half the pot and then not calling his push?
At least bet 2/3-3/4 pot and then fold if you have a strong sense that you are beat.
Lukie's right about the preflop reraise...3x is standard so 7.50 preflop and then bet/call his allin on this flop.

Your half-pot postflop bet reeks of missed overs - he's likely to have a good pair here and will play back at you given your betting pattern - there's no way to tell whether or not it's AA so I think you have to pay off AA or a set here.
You seem to have gone for a trap play and then given up on it...did you have some read/sense that told you to do so?

this play was inspired by a point made by Fnord about pot control, although that was probably in a different context. the bigger flop bet isn't to protect the hand but build the pot, something I don't want to do against no read and what is possibly a thinking player's big raise with aces. either way i didn't want to be potstuck with a pair. Do I have to stack off with a pair at this level when i always have better spots elsewhere? the texture just felt like AA, he raised because he saw me as another donk who would donate his stack.

I should have hammered it preflop though, that's the only thing I'm bothered about my play here. Raising to 8 gives me more information and i can't see why i didn't.

[mxiu]

Raise more preflop, I personally go to 8-9. Fire 3/4-pot on the flop. I'm sure villain's range is much bigger here than just AA. 99-JJ gets stacked here too.