The Small Pocket Pairs Dilemma and Raising UTG

I seemed to be cursed this morning as I took the commuter rail into work. I was playing a few hands and kept getting small and moderate pocket pairs utg (under the gun). I seem to overplay these hands constantly. I only play them well when I hit trips as it seems I cannot be taken off this hand even if there is an possible higher pair on the board.
As you can see by this hand, I continuously bet the pocket nines and the other player continued to flat call me every time. Granted, he had pocket tens in this instance, but if my oponent picked up KK or had Aces in the hole I would be in heaven as my opponent obliviously bet in to my big hand. There was even the chance for a straight on the board which I attempted to bluff but my opponent hung in there.



My guess is at higher stakes I may have been able to bluff my way out however it seems at these low limits, players tend to call EVERYTHING. I ran into one opponent who had 64 unsuited and he beat my pocket Queens in earlier play as he had two pair. Who sticks around after a pre-flop raise with 64 unsuited?! These guys do.
Lesson Learned:
Be mindful of my aggressiveness. Sometimes firing 2 bullets is enough with a mediocre pocket pair, don't try to force a mediocre hand into a winner at these stakes, especially if your opponent insta-calls!!

FullTilt No Limit Hold'em  $0.01/$0.02  Dec 31st 6:59 pm 6 players (Converted and Stored @ FeltTable.com).

Seat1 demon587 ($2.96)
Seat2 SIEG431 ($1.97)
Seat3 pokherface698 ($2.08)
Seat4 Antoniadis ($0.68)
Seat5 Fazengart ($2.08)
Seat6 123progress ($2)

PREFLOP Hero is UGT with  ($0.03 in pot)

pokherface698 raises to $0.06, Antoniadis folds, Fazengart folds, 123progress folds, demon587 calls $0.05, SIEG431 calls $0.04

FLOP ($0.18 in pot)
demon587 checks, SIEG431 checks,
pokherface698 bets $0.08, demon587 calls $0.08, SIEG431 calls $0.08

TURN   ($0.42 in pot)
demon587 checks, SIEG431 checks,
pokherface698 bets $0.20, demon587 calls $0.20, SIEG431 folds

RIVER       ($0.82 in pot)
demon587 bets $0.24, pokherface698 calls $0.24

RESULT
demon587 wins the pot ($1.22) with a pair of Tens
demon587 shows [Th Tc] a pair of Tens


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