JTs

Interesting hand from my last live session. It is a classic small stakes hold'em hand. I am unfamilar with all players except for the BB (LAGgy) and the player on my right (Loose passive) (MP+2). Button appears to me to play very "tight and solid" (not a compliment). This was a $20/$40 game, as the $40/$80 looked tough, and I'm practicing good game selection. :P

Any comments or criticisms are welcome.

hand #1
Live $20/$40 LHE 9 seated
- preflop: 2 folds, MP+1 limps, MP+2 limps, Hero calls with JhTh, CO calls, Button raises, 4 calls, Hero re-raises, call, Button caps its, blinds calls, MP+1 folds, everyone else calls. (6 players, 26 small bets)
- flop: 8h8s9h, checked to Hero who bets, all call back to MP+2 who check raises, all call (6 players, 38 small bets)
- turn: 8h8s9h9s, SB bets, BB mucks, MP+2 calls, Hero calls, CO mucks, Button calls (4 players, 23 big bets)
- river: 8h8s9h9sKc, checked around, SB shows 9dTd, MP+2 shows Ac8c, muck, muck.

Preflop is standard with my average pot equity in what is likely to be a 7 handed flop. I can easily get away from my hand if I miss, and won't get too married to my hand with something like top pair. Button I put on KK+ preflop, but based on some later comments after the hand was over, I believe the range was actually JJ+, with JJ being the most likely hand.

On the flop, I bet with the intention of 3 betting the button's overpair. MP+2 loves to play Axs, and I was almost certain he was playing A8s when he revealed his strength (I would have a hard time paying off if an Ah hit on the river since there will almost certainly be people behind me given our positions and the pot size; I'd probably call a bet from MP+2 and fold to a raise from button). I did not put MP+2 on a boat or better since he would have waited for the turn. It was a mistake to not 3 bet the flop (assuming that the majority of the field would continue in the hand given the huge pot size). According to PokerStove, my pot equity is in the high 30s+ regardless of whether the button has KK+, QQ+, or JJ+ (ironically the looser the hand range for the button, the lower my pot equity since Qs represent a decent portion of my "outs").
At the time, I did not 3 bet because I did not have a clear enough picture on which PP button had with me out of position. The button's smooth call of my bet confused me. I wasn't sure if it meant the button had JJ/QQ and was worried about my potential overpair, or if the button had KK/AA and was waiting until the turn to make the field face 2 big bets.

On the turn, I'm down to 2 outs, but have an easy call. (although I hollywooded for 20 seconds to disguise my hand if a 7h hit on the river)

On the river, it sucks when you can't beat the board.