Hero ($300) raises to $15 UTG with 99
V ($200) in MP calls
1 other caller in blinds

Flop ($45): T 8 7
Check, Hero checks, V bets $35, Fold, Hero ?

V is a stationy, millionaire whale, calls everything preflop, so I don't see any point of cbetting flop because he's calling everything and might outplay me later OOP. He's bluffy sometimes when checked to but I don't think he's going to get too crazy with flush draws plus his betsize is fairly big.

What's the best option OTF?

I'd bet this flop. Second pair and OESD, you have a lot of equity and can set your price. If you get raised, you can gii. If V flats, you fire all non club turns.
You wrote he's a station who can bluff, which is why I like betting. Get value from his draws, keep him from betting you off the best hand and if you're behind, you have outs.

As played, I hate calling here OOP and stacks are awkward for getting it in. This is a weird hand where I think I'd rather bet -- jam if he raises, fire turn if he flats -- or check and fold. And I'd rather bet than check.

why would we not c-bet this board?

checking allows both of our opponents to see a free turn card.

Call and eval turn

Either bluff or fold. If you're going to bluff I don't mind check-raising, or bluffing the turn.

Pretty clearly:
1. It's a horrible board to c-bet
2. We're in lousy shape against any hand that wants to get it in against us
3. We have blockers to the nuts, and a chance to bluff

Whatever you do, do not call unless you intend to bluff later in the hand.

don't you think you're ahead of "stationy millionaire whale who calls everything" enough of the time to bet for value?

Huh?

If we're not c-betting this flop with 99, which flops are we c-betting?

If a 93A board is an A+ flop for our hand, I'd give a 78T board like a B+ or A-.

Agreed. If we whiffed with this board texture then I'd probably x/f. We have a stationy whale who's range will hit this flop. Because the villain can be calling wide there's a good chance we are ahead. either way if we are behind, we have a fair amount of equity

Bet the flop.

You said it's not worth betting since he's calling everything.

Think about that a bit.

As played, call.

I would typically open limp 99 in EP. We don't know how many people are interested in playing this hand, we're going to hate a huge amount of flops, and we're going to be OOP postflop. I especially hate that we're going to be OOP to a bluffy whale is going to always see the flop with us. If we're going to be bloating pots with marginal hands, I'd much rather do it in position.

Knowing that the bluffy whale is behind me, I would probably check/shove this flop. There's a good chance our hand is best, and if not we probably have 10ish outs to the best hand.

GcluelessNLnoobG

I am betting this flop every time against this guy. As played, I raise and plan to gii. I don't like just calling against players like this (but I would have bet).

Cbet close to the pot, if you aren't cbetting this flop, there aren't many flops that you will end up cbetting. As played, call and reevaluate. Losing betting lead with a hand as strong as yours is not good

Bet flop for value.
Bet flop for protection.
Bet flop for deception
Bet flop for balance.

Think you should bet flop.
Call flop bet.

Kinda surprised at everyone wanting to bet the flop. While Villain in position on us is described as stationary, he's also described as sometimes bluffy when checked to and Hero is also a little worried he might attempt to outplay him. A $35 donk and him calling creates a $115 pot HU with $150 left; is this a great spot?

Meanwhile, check/shoving keeps his range super wide, takes away any attempt at being outplayed on later streets, and basically simplifies things (and we're never getting in our money very bad even if we happen to be behind).

ETA: Although, I guess if Villain checks behind flop then my plan kinda falls flat.

GcluelessNLnoobG

Rather not turn this hand into a bluff. We have good draw. And likely the best hand. Being stationy he isn't folding a better hand..

We quite possible get value from worse hands if we bet/bet/eval.

check/raising commits us to the pot. I don't think getting our stack in on this flop is a very good idea in general, even though our equity is never that terrible (it's never far ahead either).

Betting allows villain to fold his overcard hands that have decent equity vs. our hand. We also get value from smaller pairs. We also define villain's range if he chooses to continue (based on how he responds to our c-bet).

Once you saw that flop, you had two clear choices:
1. bet $15, 3bet shove if V raises
2. check/shove flop

I prefer #1 as your jam size becomes closer to a pot size bet when V makes it 50 or so

As played this is a slam dunk, fist pump, easy-peasy, shove.

44whenindoubtlistentoGG44

I would probably just cbet the flop, but I like a call on the flop, call turn based on bet sizing. If the cbet was called then I go into check/call mode if the price is right. Most of his range is a T or better so really hard to bet for value. Check/raising is pretty bad unless he can fold top pair, this deep it's a borderline spew.

Hero calls

Turn: 2
Hero checks, V bets 100

Fold now.

5 posters said call, 1 of those characterizing shove as borderline spew, and a 6th saying getting our stack in is not a very good idea

I'd love to see what ranges and villain responses people are assuming here.

For me, this hand is simple - a shove is clearly, comfortably, and very solidly +ev.

While a call will often be a torturous struggle to turn it into a +ev move. Some serious Jedi skills are being assumed here. Are you assuming Villain will play straight forward? Are you planning to check/call when board bricks out? What if the turn is a low club? An overcard? A nine? Good luck getting value when a 6 hits the turn. Would love to hear your plan for the hand. Voluntarily playing this spot OOP is making poker hard. Hard poker is mistake prone poker. Sometimes hard poker is the best +ev move, but we have a clear, easy, +ev alternative in this case that is gonna be pretty tough to top. So, I tip my hat to you young Jedis who can turn a call/eval in this spot into a nice +ev result.

Some shove ev calcs...
If we assume the BB completed and there is a $5 rake, then we have $76 in the pot, we are shoving $185, and we win $76 + $150 = $226 if Villain calls and loses. EV of the shove given the following Villain holdings/responses:

folds +76
calls with Kd Td (13)
calls with 8d 8s (43)
calls with Js Jc (89)
calls with Ah 9h +108
calls with 8d 7d +25
calls with 8d 9h +137
calls with Ad 8d +161
calls with Kc 3c +57
calls with Kc Qd +125
calls with Jh 7h +150

That's right,
EV is -13 if Villain calls with Kd Td and
EV is +161 if he calls with Ad 8d.
And sometimes Villain will fold a ten!!!!

So, do I want that, or the borderline ev move of call/eval?

The problem with bet/bet is that it leaves us with ******ed stacks left on the river. Again, if we bet the flop to $35, this leaves us with $115 on the turn with $150 left. A mere $60 bet on the turn (just 1/2 PSB) creates a $235 pot with a rather ******ed $90 left for the river, which seems pretty awkward to me.

GcluelessNLnoobG

"This deep"? The main Villain started the hand with just 66bbs and on the flop the SPR is a mere ~4.

Gwe'renotdeepatallG

A couple points before getting to the hand. Request a seat change button asap and get this loose 'whale' on your right. It sounds like he's 3-4 positions to your left. You'll have much easier decisions and make a lot more money off this guy in position. Second, raising UTG with middle pairs in loose-passive games is generally a mistake. If they don't fold to cbets, don't raise pre because you'll always be at a disadvantage OOP with just middle pair in a big pot. Set mine and know they'll call you down when you hit.

On to the hand. I've already commented about the preflop action. I would probably cbet small, about $20-25. You really want to take this pot down now because you only have 6 clean outs on the turn. A half-pot cbet should fold out most hands that missed and gives you cheaper information on hands that want to continue. If V2 likes to bet flops when checked to, then you should set your own price. If he calls, I would play the turn very cautiously.

As played, I think you should shove or wait for a better spot and fold. Calling doesn't work because very few cards other than non-club J and 6 are good for you. You're not deep enough to try a turn check-raise semi-bluff and a call pushes you past the commitment point. A shove should fold out some Tx, some draws, and obviously all the air. You're in decent shape against some calling hands like combo draws and 87. You're not in good shape against the rest. I think you have enough fold equity to risk winning an $80 pot by shoving.

I also think there's nothing wrong with cutting your losses and waiting for a better spot. You've only invested $15 into the hand and there's no shame in folding middle pair OOP on a super-textured board.

Folding is realley bad given you have direct odds to draw for straight.