Easy river fold? 100nl

MP is ok, but we don't have much history. SB is a donk. Sometimes I bet this flop but I decided to check here, maybe a mistake. I raised turn cuz SB is trying to take it down here with ATC and MP can call with such a wide range, most of which I am ahead of.

And now he fires at the river. I really only beat bluffs basically. It looks like he slowplayed a set of nines maybe or hit a set of 6s on the turn but that's less likely. If he has A8 or A9 and decided to slowplay I think he would have raised the turn himself.

I have to fold here right? Now I am not so sure.

Full Tilt Poker, $0.50/$1 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

BB: $43.20
UTG: $18.25
MP: $100
Hero (CO): $139.75
BTN: $393.20
SB: $60.35

Pre-Flop: A J dealt to Hero (CO)
UTG folds, MP raises to $3.50, Hero calls $3.50, BTN folds, SB calls $3, BB folds

Flop: ($11.50) A 8 9 (3 Players)
SB checks, MP checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($11.50) 6 (3 Players)
SB bets $6, MP calls $6, Hero raises to $17, SB folds, MP calls $11

River: ($51.50) 8 (2 Players)
MP bets $28, Hero

Some hands I'm seeing lately are really confusing me!

I see no reason to check back this flop ever really, 3-way. It's not a spot you're needing to balance your checks with, and if anything, betting here balances the times you bet air in position here.

As played... not sure about this turn. If I was going to raise, I'd raise it harder given the caller, to around $20ish. As played on the river, given his sizing, meh I call.

Yeah I see what you are saying. I checked kinda for balance and so that I could get value on later streets from pps and whatnot. I wrote "sometimes" I bet this flop but I meant nearly always.

It made a simple hand more difficult most likely

I would call this river basically always.

i would of called this river no matter what situation i was in...

River is definitely a call the way you played it, but I think what Griffey said is like spot on. Checking here doesn't keep your range "balanced", it's basically a slowplay. In a heads up pot w/ initiative checking behind can be very good at certain times on this board, but not in a 3 way pot when you weren't even the PFR.

Here's the issue w/ this hand ... On this flop we have to expect you would bet any set, and any draw, reason being that the PFR checked w/ two players to act behind him. He will almost never have any type of hand here when he checks. You have no reason to believe villain behind you has any type of hand, so you should actually be betting a ton here w/ big hands/draws/air/medium strength hands like AJ.

Now when you raise the turn, you aren't repping anything because since PFR checked flop we should expect you would have bet 7T and any set. If I were him I might call your raise then c/c river with any pair. Without any pair I might call your turn raise and lead the river since you rep nothing.

This river card is really terrible for him to bluff, it doesn't make any sense, but since your hand is under-repped you gotta call.

Always bet this flop, turn raise is meh but maybe ok if they're really bad. Definitely call the river, his line is super weird for any hand you're behind and you're getting almost 3:1.

OK thanks guys. Yeah this was weird/bad. Getting 3:1 I def shoulda called but I was confused by his line so talked myself into folding.

dont check flop

Flop check is badish unless you're against players who know how to read hands and even then it's really tricky.

Raise the turn harder, you figure to be up against draws that will pay really silly prices to see a river.