88 overpair with monosuit flop, set fills on turn

[Bill Smith]

Certainly the most interesting hand I had all night.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, Hero calls, Button calls, SB completes, <font color="CC3333">BB raises</font>, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, Hero calls, Button calls, SB calls.

Flop: (12 SB) 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(6 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="CC3333">BB bets</font>, MP2 calls, MP3 folds, Hero calls, Button calls, SB calls.

Raise? Fold? Is there a right answer?

Turn: (8.50 BB) 8/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, <font color="CC3333">MP2 bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, Button calls, SB calls, BB folds, MP2 folds.

Standard, right? When MP2 folds, I suddenly feel better about my hand.

River: (15.50 BB) 6/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks, Button checks.

They might both be representing big diamonds that didn't fill, but only a made hand would call, right?

Final Pot: 15.50 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 15.50 BB, between Hero, Button and SB.</font>

Suggestions? Opinions?

[deacsoft]

A raise preflop may be acceptable, but the hand is not too bad for a multiway pot either.

I may raise the flop in most cases to see where I'm at.

The turn raise is good but may not be there if you raise on the flop.

I think the check is okay on the river. Others may argue that a bet would be the way to go, but I don't want to get raised here and may only get called by a better hand if I do. There are straight and flush possibilities and two opponents here.

Much of the play on this hand will depend on how you play it on preflop and earlier streets. If you raise chances are it will be checked to you on the next street. There are a lot of different ways to play this hand. Your play doesn't look too bad, but I'd like to raise the flop for information.

[Jaran]

Hey Bill,
I prolly would have raised the pf. And I would have raised the flop. It's hard to say how the turn would have gone with this action, but as you played it, the raise is manditory. God, I would hate that river card (the only worse one I can think of is the 6 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif ). Depending on my table read, I would either bet out or checkcall.

-Jaran

[Peter Harris]

i wouldn't raise PF there personally.

rest is how i'd play it, whether right or not. nasty river card is a good check.

Pete Harris

[cjromero]

I think it's a good idea to raise with 88 in the cutoff with only two limpers. If you can get the button or one or both blinds to fold a hand with overcards, you give yourself a better chance to win the pot. If you give them a chance to play any Qx, Kx, or Ax cheaply, they will.

I would check the river.

[Bill Smith]

I can't find the HH now, but one of them flipped over J /images/graemlins/diamond.gif T /images/graemlins/diamond.gif for an extremely poorly played flush.

I'm kinda curious if raising pf with 88 is a good idea... this hand plays best heads up or with 5+ others, and with 2 limpers I'm afraid I'll be stuck with 3-4 callers. Am I thinking incorrectly?