Strategy on mid-pairs in BB

[Cougar]

Struggling a bit with how to play 77-99 in late position with several early limpers.

Early tournament, no reads, can anyone provide some advice on betting strategy? Just wondering what line options do we have here and what the expert folks usually do.

My initial thinking was raise to 100 to try and isolate but was wondering if that is too aggressive and call instead to try for a set? If we raise, would we generally fold to a re-raise assuming there is no read?

Is the answer much different for 77 or 88?

Example:
PokerStars Game #23044178943: Tournament #126518455, $0.50+$0.00 Hold'em No

Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2008/12/18 20:04:57 ET
Table '126518455 281' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: 69_Maverick (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: warlordkl (1390 in chips)
Seat 3: br_betinho (1470 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: Capt.Condum (2000 in chips)
Seat 5: DuvelS (1440 in chips)
Seat 6: eerkr (2700 in chips)
Seat 7: Hero (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: Slev1n (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: tandt996677 (1500 in chips)
eerkr: posts small blind 10
Hero: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero [9h 9c]
Slev1n: folds
tandt996677: folds
tandt996677 is sitting out
69_Maverick: folds
warlordkl: calls 20
br_betinho: folds
tandt996677 has returned
Capt.Condum: calls 20
DuvelS: folds
eerkr: calls 10
Hero: ???

[baudib]

Couple options:

1. Pop it to like $150 and try to thin the field. If you get it HU, lead out on the flop and try to take it down there. If it's a board with overs and you get called, you obviously shut down.

2. Raise to like 60-80, which won't likely scare anyone out but it's a pot sweetener if you hit your set. If it's a K92 flop you have a good chance to double up.

[drmcboy]

I would not mind raising IP but I would just take a flop here.

[bigspenda73]

TT is my cut-off here, I'm knocking 99-

[baudib]

Mcat and Spenda's advice is probably best but personally I don't like checking when I think I'm likely to have the best hand.

I want to make big hands and play them for big pots. I would certainly call a reasonable raise with 99 in the BB so I go with the adage that if you're going to call, you might as well bet. I hate checking and then having the flop come 9-high and having to slowplay and win like 200 chips here. But I've never been good at playing smallball.

I put my cutoff lower than Spenda's and raise 88+ and check 77-.

[drmcboy]

I don't think raising is horrible but you should have better reasons than a poker adage. I hate sayings in general but here it isn't really even applicable. "If you are going to call, you should bet" is a limit concept more or less and clearly makes no sense here where our choices are play for free or bet. In limit if you make a bad bet it costs you a bet. In no limit if you make a bad bet it can cost you the current pot or a chance at a much larger pot.

You say 'best hand' but it isn't like QTo is that far behind and they get to play with position.

You may win less when you flop a set but you only flop a set 1/8 so it doesn't make much sense to structure your play around it. Emphasis on may, leaving people in the pot gives them chances to make TP and how many people in a $0.50 tourney are getting away from TP?

[baudib]

It's hard to stack them when the pot is $60 though. If we were double stacked I'd raise to $150.

[bigspenda73]

not that hard to stack ppl who never fold even if the pot starts at 60

[baudib]

true enough.

I'd check AJ-, KQ but raise AQ/AK because QTo isn't paying when the A hits.

[baudib]

Thinking of this thread made me laugh during this hand. Normally I'd four-bet the flop but I wanted to keep the SB in the hand. As it turns out, he wasn't going anywhere. Cooler city.

No Limit Holdem Tournament
The $100K Double Deuce
8 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:
UTG nullabull2230 (3190)
UTG+1 eBecks18 (7305)
MP1 mikebrand (3625)
MP2 WSOPwannable (3905)
CO seiles777 (2870)
BTN cwalt07 (2670)
SB Hero (3015)
BB ChrisA8 (4940)
[nullabull2230 is sitting out]

Blinds: 15/30

Pre-flop: (45, 8 players) Hero is SB
4 folds, seiles777 calls 30, 1 fold, Hero calls 15, ChrisA8 checks

Flop: (90, 3 players)
Hero bets 60, ChrisA8 calls 60, seiles777 raises to 180, Hero calls 120, ChrisA8 goes all-in 4,910, seiles777 goes all-in 2,660, Hero goes all-in 2,805

Turn: (10,825, 3 players)

River: (10,825, 3 players)

Final Pot: 8,900
ChrisA8 shows:
seiles777 shows:
Hero shows:

ChrisA8 wins 1,925 ( lost -3,015 )
Hero wins 8,900 ( won +5,885 )
seiles777 lost -2,870