i bloat pots w/ middle pairs (NL100)

[olliejen]

After subscribing to CR and watching some fo the NL100 videos I've been flirting with opening my 3-betting range in blind defense and with position.

Its generally been a positive thing, but I've definitely gotten myself into tricky'ish spots that I'm not as comfortable in.

In this hand:

UTG seems pretty regular to me, hasn't made any splashy moves, generally been quiet. I have seen him on other tables, so my guess is that he's not a sports-bettor just killing some time in poker.

Button: bad, cold calls a lot and folds.

UTG has $99, Button has $71 & I cover them both.

Pre-flop
UTG standard opens for $3.50, I 3-bet him $12.50 with 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], folds to bad Button who calls, both blinds fold and UTG calls.

Is this too much in this spot? I don't have a great read on UTG and if he 4-bets I'm done. I expected him to fold a lot of the time here...

Flop ($38.25): 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
UTG checks, <font color="red">I bet $30 </font> , Button folds, <font color="red">UTG pushes $86.50</font>

2 more questions:

1. I think the flop bet is standard (I can't check) but I'm not sure if I should have made it a little smaller to lower my commitment to the hand. In retrospect, I feel like I'm telegraphing an overpair (which I'm guessing he knows?) and I have the smallest overpair you can have in this spot (though he probably doesn't know)

2. Now that I'm in this spot, I have to call this right? I'm in bad shape against like, TT/JJ &amp; sets, but the board is drawwy and I think there are enough hands he could have here that I can't turn down the chance he has one of them. Not to mention he could have a hand like A8 or 66 or a bluff...

editted for grammar.