Hi all. I just played a game last night, and am wondering if I misplayed the key hand of my night.

The game was NLHE, started 9-12 handed, and worked it's way down to 6-handed. I was small blind, and was dealt 6 6 . 3 people called ahead of me, and I raised 4BB (blinds were pretty low, cash game, not tourney style). 2 callers.

Flop came down 10 9:spade: 9:heart:. Checked to me by 2 people ahead. Pot was about .5 my stack, and I moved all-in. One caller, who flipped over A:club:5:club:. Naturally, he drew the ace.

How did I do? What should I have done differently?

Don't raise preflop.

Don't move all in on the flop, you (most of the time) are only going to be called by a better hand. Betting the size of the pot accomplishes the same thing withour risking your whole stack.

Why not raise preflop w/ a pocket pair in a short-handed game? Especially if there are 3 people who would also be in the hand with me if I limp.

Because there is already 3 people in. If there was one person in a raise might isolate him. But since it wont, try and get in cheap for a favorable flop. If you were opening, your raise would be standard, if you were isolating one opponent, your raise would be standard. But since neither are true, you're going to end up in a raised pot with overcards against multiple opponents. Sticky situation.

Pocket pairs are a 50-50 chance against overcards pre flop when heads up. If you are up against more than one person your percentage goes down even more. Unless you can get heads up, don't do it. Even then, your EV is very minimal.

If the blinds were pretty low and you raised 4BB from the small blind and got two callers, that means there was approximately 15BB in the pot? and 15BB was half of your stack? So before the hand you had 34BB? You have too much money to try and make a move with 66 here, ait for a better opportunity or if you are feeling aggressive, everyone in front of you has limped, you might try and go all in, pick up the 5 BB and add 1/7 to your chip stack, but I would advise the limping and trying to hit a set or check folding.