NL50: 88 check raised on flop

[digit]

Villian is 17.7/15.6/1.7 over 60 hands

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (4 handed) Hand History Converter Tool (http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php) from FlopTurnRiver.com (http://www.flopturnriver.com) (Format: 2+2 Forums)

Hero ($66.60)
SB ($36.15)
BB ($50.75)
UTG ($48.85)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 8/images/graemlins/club.gif, 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $2</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, BB calls $1.50.

Flop: ($4.25) 9/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 9/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $3.5</font>, <font color="#CC3333">BB raises to $12</font>, Hero??

[Mike Kelley]

I just moved up to this limit from 25NL. Is it variance or is there about 3 times as much 3betting and CR'ng as there is at 25NL?

I'd call and see if he checks to you again on the turn. I'm curious what the right strategies are against check raises and aggressive 3betting.

[KEW]

Tough spot..You do see this move more as you move up..Absent a read I let 88 go but would call or shove with a over pair...You will see a wide range of hands making this flop C/R...In this habd I do not think villain need a 9 to CR but our 88 are to vulnerable to his range...Calling leaves us in a terrible spot on the IF villain fires again and/or a spade or over card falls...

[TheBobn]

Someone whose 18/16 with an aggression of 1.7 is a really unaggressive TAG. Having your stats would help in this decision, but you see a lot of decent players checkraising a small pair here who missed it's set because you're range likely didn't hit this flop.

You can go through some ranges, but an 18/16 is mostly calling with pairs in the blinds or a big pair if he's trying to get tricky. Therefore I think most of his range includes bluffs, full houses or the occasional 9 or small flush draw looking for some fold equity.

Also, you hold two of the straight draw possibilities, so the chance of him c/ring a straight draw is even more less likely. I don't know the answer here, but I don't mind a check behind flop and either call or raise turn bets based on the card, the truth is that a good villain will make u fold the best hand a lot on this flop.

But again, I think you have to note that for an 18/16 an aggression of 1.7 is really low, doubt he gets that tricky.

[Daniel LeClaire]

Move all in. If he had a pair bigger than 88 he would have reraised pf. Too good of a chance he has a worse pair, flush draw, or air. Sometimes he will have a 9 or 77 here, but not often to make this a fold.

[Capone]

I would fold here with 88, I really don't like this spot.

[barryc83]

muck it. you gotta have better reads than stats here to be calling this. that said, this is an excellent flop to bluff raise a cbet. if he gets out of line a lot than sometimes you call.