I think you can start by call in position. He might have you beat but if so, straight card on the turn may slow him down. He might be on a combo draw so it's ok to call since you dominate him. He might take a stab so cool to call.

I would use this hand as a check back. We want to have some flush draws in our check back range and this is a pretty good hand to pick, specifically unblocking all the pairs/draws on the board. We don`t want to get check/raised and play a big pot on the flop when we can use our positional advantage.

I think your range for villain is reasonable, absent any reads on them.

Here's how I'm thinking through it:

As played, when villain check/raises:

Folding is forfeiting too much equity too often, so that's not happening, imo.

Against the weakest value-ish range I can think of (T[8,Q]:hh, Ah:hh, QT[J,9]), we're a hair's breadth on the losing side of a coinflip. So, because we're not pushing an equity edge against an optimistic range and because we can use position to our advantage on later streets, I'm inclined to not raise.

So, as played, I do think this is just a call. If a heart comes off, we can get to showdown one way or the other (position helps here) without making too big of a mistake, probably. If they have Ah*h, oh well. We get to decide how many bets go in, so if we're worried about that (or even a straight flush), we can lose the minimum when we're beat.

Thinking through checking back the flop:

Against a random hand, we're a big favorite. So there's that to consider.

And given what the conclusions I arrive at above, I don't think I'm ever bet/folding this flop (absent some extremely strong reads... but even then?). So I don't think I'm checking back to avoid a check/raise. This just isn't a hand I'm getting blown off of in position. (And given our solid equity against a range of made hands, I don't think it's a mistake to stay in the pot.)

I'm also not checking to give myself a fast track to showdown, either.

And we're not in a situation where we need to be trappy, so we're not checking for that reason either. If we were blocking their continuing range and/or further ahead, that would be different.

So I think that, on this texture, this is a good bet. It's hard to say too confidently without reads on villain, but in a vacuum it seems like we're extracting value pretty often.

So I'm not checking here.

tl;dr:

Bet/call flop, imo. We'll learn a lot on the turn and be able to navigate relatively comfortably a lot of the time.

We definitely cant be bet folding this flop, I think i prefer a smaller cbet, it gives us more room to maneuver post flop,and allows us to use our blockers more effectively to bluff if the turn is a Q or T. The smaller bet size also.keeps villain in the pot with some of his weaker 4 fds that may fold to a pot sized bet.

As playes Id still call villain needs to slow down on a lot of cards but we are behind his range and don't want to just shove.

Thank you for the replies, everyone. I think I've always bet/called or bet/GII depending on opponents. And on occasion I would bet/call and try and dodge a turn pair against certain classes of players.

I'll definitely think to try and use a different CB size here the next time. Are you guys thinking something along the lines of 60-70% pot?

I do think one thing I forgot about using is the power of position. i.e. if it did come a turn straight completing card I'd be able to make a mostly clearer read of what to do if he, say, potted turn at that point.

FWIW I did call to see a turn. Turn was an offsuit ace : Jh 9h 2c As - Villain pots.

Is this a clear fold on the turn?

Yes I think we have to fold the A turn a bunch of villains xr range should include the NFD and those hands now have us drawing very slim

I'd call and bet an amount that leaves a reasonable shove OTR if he checks any straight completing turns, with plans of barreling off.

If he check calls and shoves a heart, i;'d grunch call, although folding is an option

2 I'd evaluate, depending on reads

j i might fold, 9 I'm probably jamming. in fact, what do people think, jam or call, or possibly fold a 9, vs different players?

I'm thinking ahead for the rise of dynamic avatars for the release of runitonce, if I do get back into poker. I wander what decisions i'll be making against all the avatars! Next level thinking! I'm gonna make a post....hold my beer!