We started at 40,000 chips with 40 minute levels and this is Day 1 (the only Day 1). We are going 12 levels today starting at 6pm so probably to about 1am and tomorrow Day 2 starts at 3pm.

SB is a regular at Luka Rebuy Stars Tuesday 6pm tournies (the largest buy in regular tournaments in Prague). He is solid aggressive and not a calling station. The regulars here are really good as Prague is a city with 1,600,000 inhabitants. The field plays like a $600 or $800 tournament at the Venetian or what used to be a $600+ Megastacks at Foxwoods.

Folds to SB who has me covered and raises to 2,500 I have about 27,000 chips in the BB and we are at 300/600 (600). This is my 2nd and last buy in.

I have J8 and decide to call (partly because I think SB's range can be wider than normal given the break is about to start but mostly because I will almost always defend the BB with this hand unless I'm up against a super tight player or somebody who mostly limps from the SB). This is the last hand before a 25 minute break.

The flop is 973. SB bets 1,800. I call. Though I often will raise here OOP with a gutter and an overcard my thoughts are I am in position and don't have a ton of chips, there aren't any other players who I would like to get to fold with a pair and/or overcard(s), I would have to fold to a jam, and there are a decent number of ways to improve.

The turn is 5. SB checks I bet 5,200. My sizing is close to 60% pot which I would do with any value bet or bluff. I want a fold and I am double gutted now. SB calls not instantly but not after much thought.

River is 3. SB checks and I quickly jam (basically a pot size bet). When I jam I never think about it much because the longer I take the more likely I will get called (unless I pull my sweatshirt over my head to hide which I did once or I take a really long time which I didn't want to do here because I had to pee badly). Lots of factors for me here. I don't want to have to wait through a 25 minute break with a very short stack (so I would rather jam than bet like 10,000 chips). I have no chance to win the pot if I check behind. I realize I can have a lot of draws but I did call his flop bet and the flop hits my range a lot harder than his range. I have a lot more 3x than SB does. All thoughts welcome.

I take the same line. You're blocking the straight with plenty of reputable value bets in your range and about the worst hand you can have in terms of showdown. Ideally, you would not have the 8d, but this hand makes a much better bluff than for example missed hearts, as you want your opponent to be holding hearts. nh.

I think that's right. I feel like the value jam range might be narrow in practice (are you jamming a strong 9x?) but 86 is in there and the way this played out I feel like SB might be relatively light here.

Curious, if you think this guy is raising light because of who he is / the break, do you ever just 3-bet pre to try to take it down here? Or is he someone who would 4-bet you light also knowing all of that?

He could be raising light. And yes specifically because of the break. But even then he probably has me beat over 90% of the time.

It would never occur to me to 3-bet bluff here pre-flop. I don't think I have ever 3-bet without a SC (or maybe a SC gapper) or a low PP as a bluff. Maybe a hand like A6o but I would jam with that type of hand and I think we have too many chips to jam. I don't like my post flop odds if he calls (and I rarely get SB's to fold to a 3-bet).

I do like that we are in position. And it is possible that we take it down on the flop when he misses (which has to be some significant amount of time). I would have to think about this a bit.

He is not someone who would 4-bet light. He would jam with AQ+/TT+. Not sure what he would do with 66-99 but I think mostly call. With 22-55 he might fold. But I think he might have just limped with those hands. He is always calling with 2 broadways. And with AXs/KXs/QXs.