2/5. This may seem simple, but...

Villain 1: (700+)
Villain 2: (500ish)
Villain 3: (400ish)

All villains are in mid to late twenties. No real reads.

Hero: (850)
Just sat down few hands ago. Won a decent size pot after unsuccessful attempt at a bluff but won at showdown with a rivered bottom pair against a flush draw. Probably perceived as LAGGY after this hand.

Hero opens to $20 in MP with AA
Villain 1 calls from HJ
Villain 2 calls from SB
Villain 3 calls from BB

($80)

Flop: J98

Villain 2 checks
Villain 3 bets 55

($135)
Hero: ???

How would you proceed?

As a default (without reads), open bigger preflop. Definitely open bigger next time. Fold now.

Call/eval.

Huh? Open bigger? to what? 5-6x preflop?

Agree with opening bigger, maybe 30, 35.

Your SPR against Villain 3 (the flop better) is just 5. I would consider stacking off here (likely would). Raise flop, with your 55, that's 190 in the pot, so raise to 190 (135 more). Charging draws and could get money from TP. Shove turn if you only get one caller.

raise to $150 for value.

I thought about raising here, but i didn't think it was likely that villain would lead out with just a pair.

Hero calls.
Villain 1 calls
Villain 2 calls

($300)

Turn: 3

Villain 2 checks
Villain 3 checks

Hero: ???

Would you bet the turn if you had just called on the flop?

I would defiantly bet the turn , on the flop I would agree to bet around the pot for value and push if a blank hits the turn(which it did)

You will 100% get called by worse if you raise the flop and typical 2/5 villains will donk top pair.

As played bet turn for value.

I raise the flop, but I don't think it's an easy decision.

You can't fold. Readless, you can't put him on a draw, because most 2/5 live players don't bet draws. So it's Jx (which you crush) or made sets, straights, and 2 pair hands (which crush you).

Against that range, if you'd only playing V3, I'm calling and re-evaluating the turn, because all I'm really scared of is another J or a T (QJ).

However, you're playing V1 and V2 as well, and you have to think that: a) this wet board hit at least one of them, and b) they're priced in if we just call. These guys are going to be way more draw-heavy, and we hate half the deck on the turn (any J, Q, T, 7, or spade).

So I'm raising, but fairly small -- enough to price out V1 and V2 but to potentially let V3 come along with his Jx. And ideally small enough that if V3 shoves over the top and we read him for a big hand, we can (gulp) fold.

As played I think you have to bet the turn.

And if you take down the pot on the flop, that's really not a bad outcome given your hand and the board.

Yes. Always.

Agree we can certainly get called by worse. But doubt it's a naked top pair. There are quite a few huge combo draws that are going no where, so we are bloating a pot when we could be next to even equity best case scenario, even against a non made hand.

If villain folds to a raise otf, then that certainly is a bad outcome. I hope you see why.

Yes. Bet 250 on turn. You may not want to play for stacks against the V with 700 (def play for stacks against the others), but flop call call call has bloated the pot and somewhat narrowed villain hands to draws and maybe TP (not sets, not straights, prolly not 2pair).