9 max 180 MTT SnG 1$ hands 99 postflop in position K44 board

Pre flop calling is already close on a 4x open with 99, because you will call most of the time for set value only and the UTG+1 player is the shortest stack on the table as well. So based on the Call20 rule for set value this would be a fold.

As played I would never raise the flop, because than you get only action of better hands and if you call you can always try to steal the pot on the turn if he didn’t continue with betting.

Cheers,
SDK1987

In my opinion, way too much over-thinking here; If you willing to call w 99 (which is close) to 4bb UTG OR, to over-play him post flop, then call OTF and bet OTR (if he checks);

Don't think your line would work here too often to be profitable on a long run.

As everyone i don't like raising 99 here.
I would not focus on EP vs EP/MP battles and being tricky by bluffing much.
Calling or folding probably is only options with 99.
I would think opponent range is pretty tight and we have no much fold equity that we would like.
Also your talking about increase the fold equity OTT make no much sense when you have 99 when you have also weaker hands to turn into bluff by raising like for example widely called A high/Suited Brodways what you might call preflop and on turn still spike some additional outs for straight/flush draw (to sometimes beat his Kx) or Pair of Ace (to sometimes beat his Kx) and then reevaluate on turn your line. With 99 there is problem if he have Kx you never winning if you don't hit 9.
!But I would likely no turn hands into bluff here at all by raising EP vs EP/MP, not sure if i even have raising range here for instance. Just trying to illustrate why 99 would be not best hand choice if was deciding sometimes bluff here.
Maybe next example show it more clearly.

However let me tell you story you might find interesting to illustrate positions and how ranges can be lot more exploitable on later positions.
You are on BB and BTN opens as always Everything changes now bc positions. You defend 98o and 99 by calling.
K44 come and you check, opponent have btn stl like 50-60% and cbet like 70%, it very likely this guy would cbet everything on this board.
Now you probably can turn lot lot hands into bluff by c/r.
But still 99 would not be hand i would turn into bluff because there is likely scenarios where you can win with this hand
1)you call flop and opponent give up and you go showdown by checking.
2)you call flop and spike 9
3)you call flop and opponent give up and you thin value bet river for even more money on good board.
With hand like 98 no redraws it might be fine to c/r flop and give up for pure fold equity on flop vs his range (60% btn open and close 100% cbet flop on this board if he is player who overcbet theses spots) and him not being able to defend enough hands even if he never fold hands like A high/pair. Basically because he overcbet so much hands there is no way for him to exploit your c/r air without being good hand reader and understanding your c/r range is often weak here. So very exploitable but still applicable vs weaker regs/fish in micros bc they will overfold hugely vs c/r here.
P.s. Again I know we rep nothing by c/r and it extremely exploitable but vs specific players who likely can't hand read that much and click bet button on this board after we check might work.

Anyway hope it make some sense and def not focus on EP vs EP/MP battles because every range there is tight and no much to exploit, lot more room in CO/BTN/SB/BB ranges exploiting.

Thank you guys, for the time and effort put into the analysis of this hand. Your argument seems reasonable