Defend 55 pre, check-raise the flop for value, but once HJ 3-bets, calling or raising smaller is better than ripping it in.
Flop comes 7h Tc 5c, giving us trips on a semi-wet board with no flush possible. HJ has a slight range edge, but this is a great spot to mix in some checks and some bets. Checking here is totally fine—our hand is strong, and we can let HJ stab and then raise for value.
HJ bets 2.7BB into 5.4BB and we check-raise to 12.1BB with trips. That’s a solid value play—our hand is way ahead of HJ’s c-bet range, and the raise size is big enough to start building a pot without committing us yet.
After we raise to 12.1BB, HJ 3-bets to 18.9BB, which is a very strong, polarized line—mostly sets, strong Tx, and some bluffs. With trips and ~86BB behind, we’re already in great shape, but jamming 85.7BB over the top is too aggressive. Calling or raising smaller keeps the pot big without putting our whole stack in against a range that’s already very strong.
Note: Shoving 85.7BB over HJ’s 3-bet with trips is too ambitious; calling or raising smaller is higher EV versus a strong, polarized range.