[JMP300z]

This thread has some pretty bad advice.

Possibly stemming from the hand in PL/NL poker (R and C) where they advocate reraising 99 and then potting the flop....this is all ok except that you might as well have 72o.

The correct way to play this has to do with the type of opponent and their predictability.

First put them on a hand range...Raising UTG are they really that loose? How many barrels will they fire? How often do you check raise or check fold? How often do you slow play? Consider your image. You probably dont have too much equity vs their hand range.

Usually I just check call these flop. I kind of dont like doing it however when there is a draw on board b/c they are more likely to fire big if you check the turn again.

There is no good way to get a lot of value AND protect a hand like 88 in this spot. Especially if your opponent is very unpredictable. The good news is, youre not looking to play a gigantic pot here....there is no super urgent need to protect your hand. So you can afford to get passive. If youre not comfortable with this, why not look for a more comfortable spot? One w/ position etc.

Check calling and checking again depending on the turn usually works for me as I often play a wide range of hands passively out of position vs lags in six max. On the river i might bet and rep a missed flush draw if he will call me w/ A high but thats a rare spot and usually reserved for times where the opponent is also capable of bluffing w/ such a hand.

-JP

Edit: your river bet doesnt make much sense as anything except a bluff to try to get him to fold 99-QQ.