Set up:
Table is 2/4 but max buy-in is $300
Players are generally weak and will play just about anything at anytime.
HJ is tight old man.

Hero: MP $320
HJ: ~$300
BB: ~ $210
UTG: ~ $200

PF: Hand goes limp UTG, I raise MP with 97c to $16
Hi-jack calls, BB and UTG call {Pot $66}

Flop: 459
BB check, UTG checks, I bet $40. Hi-jack calls, BB calls, UTG calls. {Pot $226}

Turn: 9
BB check, UTG check, I check, Hi-jack checks

River: 4
BB bets $70 leaving about $100 behind. UTG folds, I shove, Hi-jack folds and BB tank folds.

My question is obviously with my check on the turn. I should have shoved right? I didn't want to bet "small" and just be called by the gravy train, so thought I'd check for pot control. Once HJ checked the turn behind me I realized he had an over pair, and I was concerned he could have a better 9 till then.

Anyway, I feel I might've chickened out of the correct play. Thoughts?

Could probably go a bit smaller on the flop, and then half pot the turn and shove river on this runout, and yeah I don't like checking the turn.

The board is extremely draw heavy with a ton of straight draws and a flush draw, so checking the turn is a disaster. Just bet and if you are beat, then reload.

why not put in money on a draw heavy board when you turn trips?

Check on turn is bad. Since its a draw heavy board, you need to get value from the drawers, but instead you gave them a free river card. Bet sizing is fine on flop.

as said bet the turn

hate your preflop raise. I'd just fold this hand with such shallow stacks. a case can be made for raising on the button I guess.

I especially hate it even more since (no offense) you don't even really know the correct play in an ultra easy situation. you got a little lucky to pick off that $70 at the end...no clue what that guy was doing. but you probably let people with lots of outs get a free card that likely would have gotten a big bet out of you on the river.

edit: not trying to pick on you...you obv wanna learn and get better since you came on here and posted and are trying to learn. just giving my opinion. you should know your limitations and play within them and expand slowly. I don't really know how far along you are but i'd say the thing you should be focused on for now is playing good cards and getting max value out of them. once you get better at that you can expand to bluffing and playing fancy cards, etc..

overlimping pre is probably better and definitely betting turn

Yeah isoing a 50 bb UTG that big is no good. I used to do this when i started playing live coming off of online poker.

dont raise 9hi preflop with short stacks when nobody folds. it's a big mistake.

This. Having just finished another read-thru of PNLHE, it's easy to see just how bad the play was here.

You note everyone doesn't fold and raise with 97s? You're building a massive pot with a **** hand for the job. You do not have the implied odds for this.

Then you continue to bet flop. What would you have done if someone shipped? Called with your pair of nines?

The turn question you pose is light-years behind the other mistakes you made. I recommend some serious time with the books, starting with the basics.

Gl.

Ur letting THREE players draw out on you. Def bet turn