Example of Controlling Action or Being a Donkey?

[UtzChips]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t400 (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

CO (t14524)
Button (t10432)
SB (t6330)
BB (t950)
Hero (t12355)
UTG+1 (t25295)
MP1 (t5482)
MP2 (t2685)
MP3 (t12695)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t800</font>, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, MP3 calls t800, CO calls t800, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>.

Flop: (t2600) J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t800</font>, MP3 calls t800, CO folds.

Turn: (t4200) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t800</font>, MP3 calls t800.

River: (t5800) J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>

Hero bets 800

[Soulman]

PF: are you the new betgo? What's with the minraise?

Flop: I'd rather see you bet say 2k to take it down right here. If you meet heavy resistance, let it go. Making blocking bets is better saved for the river.

Turn: uh yeah.

River: are you asking what to do here? Do you have any reads at all?

[JoseGonzlez]

Some people call it controlling pot size, other call it announcing you have a weak hand. if you do this with some monsters against a thinking lag it could be good. The main problem with min bets is their easy to play against you can just call them.

[Jiggymike]

Don't like your line much here. Minraise is bad but not THAT bad, raising 2x UTG is a good move to allow you to fold to a big reraise or other action you don't like but just make sure it has some chance of winning the blinds. If I know too many raises are getting called at this table, I'll limp 88 UTG.

On the flop, I stick in a fat bet and try to take it down right here. Only one overcard and a FD on the board against 2 players, I agree with soulman and am betting around 2K. Tiny bets on turn and river are useless for the most part unless you are sucking value out of a flush or something. I really don't have a solution as played because it looks so weird. If I made a big bet and was called on that flop and then the flush came out, I'd probably check and fold to a reasonable bet without reads, although another smaller bet is a good idea to prevent him from bluffing or taking a free card with 1 club.

[Kojak1984]

Ignoring the differences I would make pre-flop:

Flop - as above, bet &gt;3/4pot. You'll get rid of everyone but a jack, maybe 77+ and club draw.

Turn - now the club draw has hit. Your feasible options are to check/fold, or bet at least 1/2 pot. If this bet is called, I'm losing all interest in the hand. A bet of 800 is pretty much a check at this point.

River - now the jack has hit. So if you'd raised a decent amount on the flop, you'd now know that you really can't beat anything. Even with your small bets the chances are you're behind. A bet of 800 looks completely pointless to me. You're not value-betting 8s on that board, and that river is not one I'd be inclined to bluff at having played so poorly on the flop and turn. Especially not when I'm offering 7:1.

[UtzChips]

Soulman, Jose, JiggyMike, Kojak.
Thank you so much.

So, it's 3xBB, unless I know raises are getting called a lot, otherwise limp, because 2x is probably not going to get the BB out unless he has lowest 60% of hands.

I'm going to stick in 3/4 pot size bet on the Flop when it's only 1 overcard. Look to see what else is on the board to determine why they might be calling.

On the Turn, I would stick in 1/2 size pot bet in case it was 2 overcards they were chasing and not a Flush or Jack in their hand. If I get resistence, I fold to a re-raise on the Turn, or ck/fold the River, because I bet heft on the Flop and now know I probably cannot beat anything they have if they bet.

[Bigwig]

Yeah, don't like it.

Hilarious BB fold, too.

[hagbard celine]

88 just isn't a big hand, so why not limp, and then call a not-too-big raise if it comes.

Especially in your position. You raise, and then have to act first in a three-way pot with a middling pair.