[dankhank]

so, long time lurker finally starting to post here. this is a hand played earlier today in a $30 pacific multi that's been sort of driving me nuts:

three players left with prizes paying (1.4k, 990, 495). I've got about 35k and the other two stacks have ~60k each. blinds are 1000/2000. both players seem pretty solid and we spent a lot of time eliminating two fishy big stacks before it got down to us three.

folded to me in the SB. i've got J8 and I just limp because I've been coming in for raises a lot here and I want to see what the villain does with a limp; plus i dont want to raise this hand. villain checks the BB. flop comes J53. i min-bet 2000 and he raises to 8k. he's done a few trap raises (mostly pre-flop) in the past but this overbet screams steal to me. i consider raising all-in but don't love my hand (and/or i want to get more chips from him) so i just call to see what he does from here.

turn comes 10, putting a second heart on the board (no hearts for me). i check, he bets 10k. i call again to see what he does on the river. river comes 7h. i check, he puts me all-in.

i think about it and fold. i called on the flop (and then the turn) to check his strength, and he's showing me strength. he has to know i have something, and he still wants to bet it. i fold and have 15k left. go out a few hands later when i re-raise with 99 and get called by AJ.

i feel like i either made a really nice read and made a tough laydown, or i played ridiculously passive and cost myself a ton of chips. thoughts? what do you think is the optimal line here?