Thoughts on this semi-bluff

[Aytumious]

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ Hero (6 max, 6 handed) converter

MP ($46.7)
CO ($82.95)
Button ($31.3)
SB ($23)
Hero ($62.6)
UTG ($223.7)

Preflop: Hero is BB with T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. SB posts a blind of $0.5.
UTG folds, MP calls $1, CO folds, Button folds, SB (poster) folds, Hero checks.

Flop: ($2.50) 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $2.5</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP raises to $5</font>, Hero calls $2.50.

Turn: ($12.50) K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP bets $4</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $12</font>, MP calls $8.

River: ($36.50) J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, MP checks.

Final Pot: $36.50


This hand came up earlier against a slightly loose and passive player -- vpip of 38 and 1.4 pf aggression factor through 150 hands -- and a friend of mine says he basically never makes this play. My aggression and results in December were down, and in January i've been making many more semi-bluffs like this. Anyone like this play as opposed to simply calling or, less likely, folding? I only wish I would have bet 15 instead of 12.

[DBowling]

i dont mind it, if you really think you have some fold equity. if villian is a calling station, it would be better to take the good odds he's offering you to draw to your flush/two pair (not sure how often trip 8s bad kicker is good here)

[Biff M.]

Why do you want to bluff a loose player?

[Aytumious]

I guess I should be clear, he's a little loose preflop, but postflop he was pretty passive and appeared content to fold a lot of marginal hands.

[Tilt]

Not a good play IMO. If he pushes on the river, you are toast. Doubtful you have much fold equity on the turn based on his raises. Its pretty clear you are behind and there really isnt much on the board to scare him. You slowed him down, but he isnt likely to fold his two pair or straight here.