I always struggle with this exact spot as all options seem kind of dirty.

no reads on any players so i don't know if he bets unimproved in 2-1-1 spots or not; however its an online game and he 3 bet pre and took 2 which leads me to think hes more likely than not to c-bet unimproved here.

2-7 part of mix game, online: hihack opens button 3 bets and i call 237(no pairs) in small blind, BB folds.... 2-2-2. check to button who bets we both call, 2-1-1 (no pairs).

We make 23479.... if we check and hijack bets and button calls i default to check call draw 1 and pat when it checks through. however I'm always a bit lost when it checks to button who bets here.

I hate c/r the 9 and watching him pat behind but i also hate check calling and watching it go 1-1-1

Not easy decision but I think I like a call and D1 when the button bets. Yeah we break off equity and frustrating when it goes D1 around but we unlock equity when button has pat 8 or better and other guy is putting money in too.

how good/bad is it to just lead with the 9? can break if raised?

When one player is drawing 2 ott there is a strong incentive for button to bet even UI, since his weaker pats do so much better HU than three-handed and he may not feel like betting many of them on the river. You can lead the Nine but if both players flat and D1 you'll be defensive on the river and become vulnerable. Since villain bet previous street, I'd be inclined to c/r and pat. If villain b/3b I likely call and draw without history.

Yes you make more if you bink and get multiway action on the river, but card removal makes it extremely rare for all three players to make value hands in a pot like this, and you're a favorite to have the best hand at the moment. You should improve your chance of winning by getting it HU if you can.

I don’t like a lead because the times we make a really good hand I think we are usually going to go for a C/R. Thus I feel or hand is a little face up and we can also get frozen or raised by someone on the draw. Plus we have a nine against two D1 guys who we essentially have to fade two draws twice against. Granted less low cards are available but being up against two is worse than one.

And if anyone is going to bet UI it’s the button, so a C/R makes sense so I’d throw away a lead as an option.

Ok so the button bet the flop but that was clear to him because from his viewpoint odds were high he was the only D1. Not sure why the middle guy did not bet his D1 on flop. So on the turn while the button is going to bet UI at a high frequency it’s not going to be 100% like it would be if it was HU.

So as OP said it’s an awkward spot and I think c/c draw and c/r Pat are close