still testing

Last night I played in a MTT where I was controlling my table and chips pretty well. I worked my 3500 into 7500 at the break. Then, players started to drop out. Suddenly we are 6 handed. I always liked my short handed play, but last night I ran into The Captain THREE times with second best hand. TWO of the three times, he called from the BB from behind. He flopped a straight one, and the other time flopped TPTK and called my all-in instantly, despite a board of AJx. (I had KQ and was running a dangerous semi-bluff as I thought he was playing into me).

some questions:

1. I was trying to figure out what to do when you have 33, you raised it pre-flop and the flop is 5JJ. The BB checked. I bet 1/2 the pot and he check raised me. I folded. But, it seems that I did it right. I think by raising with the 33 pre-fop, he put me on big cards. I raised on 2xBB though, as I wanted to stop making EVERY raise 3x just to mix it up.

2. I am still working with post flop betting. I noticed last night that people wanted to play back at me because of the constant 1/2 pot bets. It worked for me though, as I often had hands there... until one player began to check raise me every time. The 3rd time, I come back at him all-in and he called with TPTK. Surprising though. I did not expect that he would call an all-in with that since he is a very solid player.

3. I RARELY if even seem to hit the SC, yet it must just be temporary, as I see others hitting them. Heck a Q9 flopped a stright and cost me 1/3 of my chips before I blew open the escape hatch.

Overall, I played a calculated game, with the exception of the LAST hand of my night, I never got into a showdown with second best hand, and too some good pots and got good value from my solid hands. BUT, it costs chips to get away from hands, because you have to bet to see what is what. Two hands where you run into big hands and escape, and half your chips can be gone. My LARGE mistake, I think, was that the blinds were not big enough, nor the rounds so short, that I needed to do anything but proceed cautiously. But when the agression is working for you, then suddenly, opponents pick up big hands, you are left to adjust. It is especially bad if the SAME player keeps beeting you, because now you begin LOOKING for the bluff.