H is the btn with $91 effective holding T9cc

MP 1&2 limp and H opens to $5, bb and both limps call

Flop is Jc3c6h

Checks to V in mp2 who bets $10, H calls and rest fold

Turn is 7c

V leads for $10

The pot is $50 and H has $76 behind. What is the optimal line for H in this spot?

I'm putting in a small raise to $30. Maybe even $25. His bet on the turn looks like a "I have top pair and I'm just seeing where I'm at bet".

Shoving will get him to fold those types of hands but a super small raise will put him in a tough spot.

Why are you starting with $91?

Beyond that, raise more, or limp, or fold pre imo.

Flop is probably fine.
Turn small raise, river jam seems good.

Fold preflop. You are too short to be playing T9s and you're often going to have to fold to a 3bet from the SB or BB or from a backraise.

Read about what hands you can play profitably as a shortstack:

A recent 2+2 post on shortstacking

http://www.thepokerbank.com/strategy...l/short-stack/

As played, do not flat-call on the turn. We have to give ourselves the best possible chance to get stacks in. Raise to anywhere between 25 and 76. We want the chips to go in. He has plenty of two pair+ and QcJx/KcJx hands in his range which are happy to put more chips in on the turn when we have great equity against his range. If villain folds, its not that terrible - it might have been hard to get much more money anyway. If a club comes on the river it could kill are chances of getting more money or even allow villain to suck out on us.

Limp seems super clear to me, we're too short to raise but it should be a profitable hand OTB. Not particularly worried about raises from SB or BB.

Nah. Also, 3bets are def not something you need to be worried about at live 1/2.

I don't have a major problem with limping the button, but you'll have a hard time hitting TPTK with T9s. With this stack size, in a raised pot, you need be looking at getting stacks in on the flop or turn.

Tell us how you think we should be playing T9s in this spot.

The problem with raising, in terms of how short we are, is that T9s doesn't have an equity advantage against limping ranges. And while there are various reasons to raise when deep stacked, equity advantage is the whole ballgame when short.

Yup, even KJo or A8s would be stronger hands to raise though I'm not sure we should even be raising those.

Given that we have only 45bb, I don't mind the table thinking we're a rock only playing premiums. When we're this short, there's no space for manouvering postflop so we'll want our bets to get a lot of credit. Thats a key reason why I advocated a fold preflop though admittedly I don't have a major problem with a limp if we think the SB or BB won't punnish us by raising light.