$1-$2 NL Cash Game
Hero has 9 7 in the sb

UTG ($900) limps, MP ($300) limps, OTB ($200) limps, Hero SB ($250) limps, BB ($50) raises to $7, UTG calls, MP calls, Hero calls.

Pot = $30
4 Players
Flop: 9 6 2

Hero bets $20, BB folds, UTG calls, MP folds

Pot = $70
2 Players
Turn: 7

Hero bets $50, UTG pushes all-in ...
It will cost me $173 to win a pot of $343

Reads:
BB = He makes these small preflop raises with high cards. His goal is to build a pot preflop and push his small stack if he hits the flop. He never c-bluffs his misses.
UTG = Unusual villain. I have played with him for 30 minutes. He has played 90% of hands, often calling preflop raises with anything suited or vaguely coordinated. I have seen him call flops with total air and lead out into large fields with only bottom pair. But I have not yet seem him make even the smallest raise.

If his push always means I am behind, do I always need to fold this river?
If there is any chance he might push when I am ahead, do I always need to call this river?
Because I do not have a stable read on him yet, does that put us in the latter category?

Please advise.

--CM

C'mon man. This is a ridic easy call. I'm assuming you called and he had like 99 or in some way you lost the pot but c'mon... this is such an easy call. You're overthinking this. You lost; it happens.

Pre is fine, flop is fine, turn sizing should be slightly larger, like 60 but that's a really small point.

Grunch:

Snap call. Even if his push means that you're always behind (it doesn't) you have 28% equity against a range of all sets and straights. You're only being asked to pay 33.5% of the pot. Add in only the 78 and 89 combos that include 8h and two combos of AhXh and you're getting the right price. Consider that his range likely includes all of the 78 combos, and you're laughing.