Protect this hand?

Newbie here; I've been reading SSHE. I don't know if this was an appropriate situation where I would want to "protect my hand" by raising. Also, once I did (and got Villain heads up) I didn't know how to behave on the turn and river. I'm sure this is probably a pretty elementary situation; sorry if it's not very interesting. Any thoughts would be appreciated...

BisonBison didn't seem to work w/ this site's hand history, so I tried to do it by hand...

Texas Hold'em $0.15-$0.30
Hero is BB with 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], Villain is in MP3, MP1 payed a forced bet.
Reads: EP3 and MP2 are both very loose passive. No real read on Villain because he just arrived at the table a few hands ago.

Pre-flop
4 players call (including the forced bet and the loose-passive guys I mentioned), Villain raises, 2 folds, SB calls, Hero calls, everyone else calls.

I called here thinking the odds are big enough to try to flop a set, especially since the loose-passive guys are likely to call for one more bet.

Flop: (12 SB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img],5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img],4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
SB checks, Hero checks, 4 more checks, Villain bets, SB folds, Hero raises, everyone else folds, Villain calls.

So I flopped an overpair, but it is pretty weak since any card higher than an 8 could make someone a better pair, and there is also a flush draw. I figure Villain probably has 2 overcards or a reasonably high pocket pair. I may have the best hand right now if he has AK or something, but probably not.

Going on stuff in SSHE, I figure I would try to protect my hand by checking to him and trying to raise to make everyone face 2 bets, but I was a little worried that the two very loose-passive players in between may have called anyway. They ended up folding. Is this hand worth protecting, or should I have just folded?

Turn: (8 BB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
Hero bets, Villain calls.

I have no idea how to play the turn here. I decided to bet because he only has to fold a small percentage of the time here for it to be worth it. Maybe he'd be afraid of a straight or trip 5's.

River (10BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
Hero checks, Villain checks.

Again, not really sure what do here. Maybe I should've bet again in case he would fold, but I figured because he called the turn that he was likely to call. If Villain had bet here, I would have called because I would've been getting 11 to 1---would that have been correct?

[GTSamIAm]

I'd prefer betting the flop instead of check-raising. It's only worth trying if SB is very weak. Definitely bet the river. The rest looks fine.

[cold_cash]

Nice hand.

How you play the river depends on what you think the villian is most likely to do with his possible holdings.

Are you a bigger favorite when you check and call, or when you bet?

Is he more likely to call w/ AK than he is to bet with it? Is it possible he somehow hit that board with a hand like A4? Etc.

[Songwind]

*grunch*
I like the preflop call. 88 isn't a strong enough holding to 3-bet with, but if you hit your set in this large field you'll be in great shape.

Flop; You're right, you have a good hand, but vulnerable. Getting it heads up with Villain is good. If he has two big cards (AQ or some such) the odds are in your favor.

Turn: I like the bet. Since there are just two of you, I gotta think that villain raises with a 5 or a big pair. since he doesn't, I'm feeling pretty good about my hand.

River is a brick, so I would bet. Villain hasn't shown you any aggression since the flop.

If villain would have bet what would you have done. This card is scary, but I probably would have bet the river.

Very well played hand. I'd play it the same except I bet the river. There is no need to worry about a straight IMO, and you would probably get more action from a bigger pair.

[silkyslim]

bet the river!!!!!!! value bet that shite!!!! gotta bet the river!!!!! value bet!!! value bet!!!! VALUE BET!!!!!!

[silkyslim]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd prefer betting the flop instead of check-raising. It's only worth trying if SB is very weak. Definitely bet the river. The rest looks fine.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think this c/r is all too sexy.

[Jaran]

Bet the river and I like the hand.

-Jaran

[bozlax]

[ QUOTE ]
This card is scary

[/ QUOTE ]

You must scare easy...BOO!

What do you think Villan would have raised preflop with a bunch of limpers that contains a six (I presume you don't think he's got 3 pocket spades)? Or do you think he raised and kept going with, specifically, 77?

I probably bet the river after he flat-calls the flop raise and turn bet.