should you do a continuation bet after a blind steal that's been called?

I was playing live the other week and was well chipped up, on the button and attempted a steal with J-3h suited, I'd done some steals previous to this that had worked well. On this occasion I raised 3000 the blinds were 4-800, well I got called by the SB and the BB folded. The flop came with two hearts and if I remember correctly under cards to my jack. I thought about it and decided a bet was better than a check because the SB might give it up there and then and even if he did not i still had the flush draw on so I bet another 4000, he called then a Tc came so I checked he checked and basically no other hearts came and we checked it down he won with a J-t off suit he hit his ten making a pair. I know i might have explained it poorly but should i have made the 4000 bet or would a check been better? Thanks all again for your invaluable help. The sniper

To my way of thinking you you didnt bet enough on the flop. You have only bet about half the pot giving him 3:1 or better about is call if my maths is correct.

If I am raising to make a steal I will check the flop to check raise otherwise I am happy to check it down so that I dont lose anymore chips.

The c-bet looks like a steal and I probably would have called there as I woulod have put you on nothing as well. The only other move you can make is to push all-in but having called your raise pre-flop you have to put them on some kind of hand.

With more information such as stack sizes, table image and othe players in the hand preflop it help to sort out a better course of action.

The Muppetteer

Thanks again muppetteer, so if i get you correctly, the best play was a check then a check raise? second to that a bigger raise post flop than my 4000 would you suggest twice the size of the initial raise of 3000? I struggle a little bit with flush draws and how to play them if I'm first to act. Cheers the sniper

it was a standard play you made sniper,he called you light !,next time before making steals think about what your gonna do if your called (or raised )beforehand ,betting into a bigstack whose on the sb and will defend his blinds will force you to make tuff descisions ,its difficult to say how to have played it without more info .

Whether to cbet after an unsuccessful blind steal depends on lots of things - your opponent, his perception of you, the flop texture, etc. In this case, there's a specific reason I don't like betting this flop - simply, I want to see the turn cheaply. You're no longer in a stealing situation, since you can draw what will be a very strong hand - but I wouldn't want villain to check raise me on this flop, because I'll have to fold.