My opponent really hasn't played many hands since I sat down, so I don't know what to think. Though, he's up a buy-in so I assume he's competent.

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.05/$0.10
9 players
Converter

Table 'Phaetusa IV' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: UTG+1 ($10.85 in chips)
Seat 2: MP1 ($19.85 in chips)
Seat 3: MP2 ($1.85 in chips)
Seat 4: MP3 ($6.45 in chips)
Seat 5: CO ($6.50 in chips)
Seat 6: Button ($8.85 in chips)
Seat 7: SB ($12.40 in chips)
Seat 8: Hero ($7.80 in chips)
Seat 9: UTG ($13.65 in chips)
SB: posts small blind $0.05
Hero : posts big blind $0.10

Pre-flop: (9 players) Hero is BB with J Q
2 folds, MP1 calls, 2 folds, CO (poster) checks, Button folds, SB calls, Hero (poster) checks.

Flop: Q 8 T ($0.4, 4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.4, MP1 calls, 2 folds.

Turn: 9 ($1.2, 2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets $2.1, Hero ??

Man, this would be a tough situation for me. He could have limped with just about anything, since you have no reads on the player. He could have KJ and you're drawing dead, he could have 88 and just flopped a set and you're ahead... he might just have AQ, with the ace of hearts. His overbet smells weak, but he could also have a small flush and is trying to protect from a 4th heart on the board.

I feel like a call and fold to a push on the river sounds like the right line. Dunno. Maybe fold and wait til you have a better read on the guy.

I really wish people would quit referring to any hand in which they don't hold the absolute nuts as a "scary board"

The Check was passive defined.

Raise that Turn.

As played, Push.

I don't like the check on the turn. Although there are three hearts on the board and a flush is among the possible holdings, why not bet near pot on the turn? Against your typical $10 max villain, you're ahead of his potential range. Also, in the case he does raise, you get more information on his hand range. If I were the villain on the turn in this situation, I'd see this as a perfect bluffing opportunity if I didn't have a flush. Don't play scared. If he raises your bet on the turn, you can re-evaluate your situation. You have a good hand. Your check on the turn put you completely in the dark.

Well put.

Given stack sizes, a Turn pot sized Bet instead of the Check, pretty much Pot commits us to any subsequent action.

I would think that after checking the turn as played, folding would be the best play. You've only got .50 invested, and if you're wrong, you'll likely lose that $7.80 stack. Had you bet the turn and not given him the opportunity to bluff, you could have defined his hand better. But what you've communicated is that you're scared of that 3rd heart and given him the opportunity to bluff.

Just seems like if you've got the best of it right now, the only hand that will call to a push would be a hand that's got you beat. Otherwise, the player will likely fold to a push and you've won $3.30. If you're second-best in this situation, you're likely to lose your whole $7.80. If you fold now, you've lost $.50 and can find a better situation.

Some might call me a pansy, but I'm folding here most of the time.

I can live with this. I just don't put the Bad Guy on much of a hand given our passive play to this point.

This is exactly why I checked. Although I lose information and value, however, against an unknown, I was automatically thinking he had a flush draw and hit it so I checked. Any bet that doesn't say "Please don't raise me" pot commits me to a shove which I'm never beating if he winds up going all-in. So, why wouldn't I check this and see what hes up to? His bet looked to me like he also had a jack, because given if he had a flush, I don't think he would overbet it (even if its a weak flush) because he loses incredible value (even idiots don't bet like that with a good hand). Given that, is a shove the proper play? I ask because, at best, I'm chopping or losing and have zero wins. I especially hate shoving and holding my breathe that I don't get called, because if I do, I'm most likely drawing dead.