underplaying "dirty reads" in no-limit holdem

I'm not sure if it's a weakness in my game or not, but I often find that when I'm heavily in the zone at a no-limit game, and have a very good feel for where my opponents are on most hands I'm in, I sometimes get in a hand where I have a very good hand, but underplay it because I don't have a good feel for where my opponents are in that hand. It's hard to describe why, but sometimes I'll have a very solid hand, but if I don't have a good read one way or the other on an opponent I'm otherwise reading well, I'll be very reluctant to bet it. I don't consider it a huge weakness in my game because generally when this happens my opponent is weak and would be unlikely to call big bets or raises anyway. Here's my latest real-life example:

I'm in late position with A9 diamonds in a $1-2 game, and raise one limper to $8. Big blind and limper, both players I've got a pretty good read lock on, call. Flop comes A-8-3 rainbow. Both check it to me, and I don't feel weakness in the first player's check -- but it's kind of a dirty read and I don't have him on a set or the like, I just don't really feel good putting him strong or weak. In this situation I should almost certainly bet, but I've already thought too long about player 1 and so I terminate my tell by checking. Turn comes a 9, giving me two pair, and both players check to me again, but again something about player 1's check again has me confused and so again I think for a little too long, and then check a second time. River comes a Q, first player bets $15, a much lower bet than he would bet under either a steal or a good hand against other good hands. Player 2 folds, and I just call, and he flips over just a queen.

I clearly played the hand poorly, yet I don't feel too bad about it, because I probably couldn't have gotten any more money than I did, and I generally play in games where waiting until I do feel a lock is profitably possible.

I guess what I'm describing is getting out of my element in a hand because I feel like I have an absence of a read that I should otherwise have. Can anyone point me to any articles about similar concepts? I can't recall any real analysis of something like this -- is it bad, is it good, how do you treat situations when you have dirty reads in general. I feel like even though on its own I played the hand above sub-optimally, underplaying those hands in a game where I frequently have very good reads is better than overplaying them; if I have a solid read 50% of the time, it probably pays to be even more conservative when I'm not sure where I stand.

It doesn't helps to bet out to get further information, or review your memory of the starting hands these players have shown in this situation and just make the best guess.

Whoops. That should "it doesn't hurt..."

Hi, I'm new here, just stumbled across your blog. I'm a full time no limit player, so hopefully my advice is worth something... You HAVE to bet here. Not only do you have position, but have the best hand at least 60% of the time in this situation. After the 9 on the turn I'd say you're a winner 85% of the time. Me, I'd bet without the ace on the flop, you raised, you need to take the lead. You're right about not winning anymore money, but taking down small pots on the flop is a huge part of my success. If they have middle pair don't let them draw out on you, play your ace for value. If you get a raise you can reconsider where you stand. Just my 2 cents.

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