3 LP limpers and SB. I have $100 and KcQcTd8c in BB.

Here's my first question: I just check here. Is this one I really need to be raising OOP? I definitely view it as a pretty strong hand, but with the two holes, I need a fairly special flop to hit the straight draw hard. Then again, it also has good high card value.

I guess on that note, I'll go into my current LP raising philosophy: I'm liking being very selective on raising AA OOP, although I feel it's important to raise at least a fair number of them because of the second leg of my EP raises: Lots of strong hands including some A. I feel like this gives me the opportunity to rep AA if I just have an A with outs to top 2, since most players put an EP raiser on AA. Then I'll also raise pretty much any true wrap in EP. But anyhow, this hand seems a little on the weak side for an EP raise for my taste, but I'd be very interested in other opinions. What's definitely true is that if I do hit it hard, I'm not at all unlikely to get action in light of the general view that an EP raiser is just going to have AA a lot of the time. It just seems a little too rare that I actually do hit the flop hard with this hand.

Ok, so much for that, which really isn't the main question I have, but how to deal with a kinda sorta board that no one seems to like a whole lot. As for reads, both of the relevant players in this hand have big stacks, but I'm new to the table and haven't played with them before. The average pot-size for the table was pretty high, so I figure they're not afraid to bet. Also, being new to the table (can't remember whether this was literally first hand or was just after maybe one orbit), I've decided that my goal for the first few orbits is to get reads while playing quite conservatively--basically building a very tight image until I know what I'm getting into.

Ok, now the flop comes Kh4c3s, which really isn't too bad for my hand. It's pretty improbable that anyone has KK, I have outs to top 2, and a turned club also helps me. But, in the spirit of conservative play, I just check after SB checks, and we have 3 more players to act.

Button now bets $3 into the pot of $5. This looks to me like a draw bet, but SB also calls. I decide to go ahead and call. I really think folding to that bet is awfully weak. Anyhow, I put button on some kind of little wrap with straight draw. SB could also have it, or could have a hand more like mine or could maybe have AA, or could be slowplaying KK (as I say, no read yet). That's my assessment up to this point, and I figure I'm doing fine against anything but a set, which no one really seems to have anyway.

Turn improves my hand with 8h, so now I have top 2 but no flush draw. And SB fires pot at it of $14. I would have bet this turn myself but don't want to play this hand for a huge pot here. I again call (by the way, I think top 2 is generally a pretty decent calling hand in most cases--as long as the board isn't completely out of control in terms of draws, which this one isn't), as does button.

River is now 4d, pairing the board. I view this card as rather dangerous, since LP can easily have that with his presumed wrap. But SB, with whom I figure I'm going to split this pot unless LP does have a 4), checks, as does LP, who indeed has 2556.

Button has KJ53, and thus was ahead on the flop but behind when he bet on the turn. So, I win actually a fairly decent pot of $50 plus with my top 2.

Good hand to play defensively?

Also, had LP potted the flop (for only $5, but still), still call and play it pretty much the same way? Or better just to fold, at least until having a read? I'm a little unsure there, as I do think LP under almost any circumstances is going to be very inclined to bet some much weaker hands. Pot would definitely have made me worry a lot more about a set, however.