88 debatable hand

[Aaron W.]

I would have bet out on the flop unless I knew there was an aggressive player in late position who would very certainly bet it.

But since you didn't bet out, I don't think it matters much if you check-raise or just call. Check-raising builds you a bigger pot, but unless you are able to get away from your 88 easily, it could make you chase (see the river) more than you should. I like the check-call here with the turn bet (regardless of what falls). I think a check-raise just bloats the pot too much with more than half the players already putting chips in. Are you going to be able to bet-fold if a jack falls on the turn and the pot is 11-12 BB back to you and two opponents? What if it's 8-9 BB?

If a decision now makes you more inclined to play quite poorly later, don't do it. You want to make mistakes when the pot is small, not when the pot is large. This is a problem that some players have when they raise preflop. Some players will always bet the flop and turn (and sometimes even the river) when there are lots of indications that their hand is no good.