This is a spot Ive never been able to really nail down. Probably because theres no correct way to play it and mixing it up is best?

Theres a limper. A fairly good LAG (29 / 23) raises to $9 on the in the cutoff. Im on the button with [8s].

This guy is a card runner type so his $9 raise means basically nothing except hes raising a limper.

1) First option......reraise or call? I tend to just call as I like to play smaller pots in general and I have position.

So I call and its HU.

Pot $23. Flop [7c][3d]. He bets $16. Again, this means nothing. Its a standard CB.

2) 2nd option....My instinct is to raise to $40 to end this hand.....if Im going to continue which I almost always do against this type guy.

I could call and float him, but I think hes more likely to fire again with or without a hand since he will want to put me on the flush draw. I dont like this because Im playing a big pot without knowing if Im ahead or behind but I wonder if this thinking is wrong. I notice alot of good BTPers playing bigger pots in spots like this...wanting to win bigger pots ( by winning more money when the villain fires a 2nd barrel with nothing) but also taking bigger chances. Villain could hit an overcard out if you dont raise but more than that, I feel stupid if i call him down and he has KK.

Thoughts?

Ya, I think both ways are good. But remember, if you call, it is much more likely that at least one of the blinds or the limper will come along.

I hate it when I get called PF by a good player who has position on me. I usually won't continue unless I have a decent hand. But I'm a TAG, and not a LAG.

Thinking out loud here:

If we 3-bet PF, a pot sized 3-bet is to $32. So we are risking $32 to win $14.

If we do option B (And assuming the blinds/limpers fold) we are risking $40 to win $39.

You are in position with a good mulitway hand, therefore I would just call preflop. Most of your EV comes from hitting sets.

Of course, this makes it tough to play postflop if you don't hit your set. The problem with raising the flop is that you basically isolate all of his good hands and fold out all of his air...which isn't terrible if you think you will play the turn and river badly if you just call. The other problem is if villain is good, once he realizes you are raising flops with marginal hands he will start 3-towning you a lot and you will no longer be folding out his air on the flop and you will just get totally owned.

Of course, calling the flop has its own downsides that you mentioned. So really it comes down to how good of decisions you think you will make later in the hand and how villain will respond to what you do.