blonde poker forum

Playing 50p/£1 cash @ dt (http://www.dtdpoker.com/aff/BlonditesDownload)d (http://www.dtdpoker.com/aff/BlonditesDownload) and I flop a set of threes.  In fact, I did it twice in the space of an hour. 

My question is how to make the most on these occasions.  If I'm 12% to hit the set with my pocket pair, I need to be making the most of when I do hit to make up for the times I'm folding on the flop.  I think I did OK with one of these sets, and made the most I possibly could.  On the other occasion, I'm sure I could have got more out of the pot.

So here are three hypothetical situations, and I wanted some input into what I should be doing here in terms of building the pot, and also avoiding letting someone 'catch up' if the board could be offering someone a draw.

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First case, is the non-scary flop:

I have  3c 3s, and am on the button.  There is a pre-flop raise to £4, and I'm the third caller and am joined by the BB.

Flop

 3d Qs 6c

Pre-flop raiser in early position raises to £12, which is a little over half the pot.  The other callers fold to me.

?

Also, what do I do if it's just folded round to me, or if there is a bet and everyone else calls before it reaches me?

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Second case, same position, same number of callers, but this time the flop is:

 7s 8s 3h

Pre-flop raiser again makes it £12, but this time there is another caller before it gets to me

?

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Third case, I'm in the SB with the  3c 3s, and have called a pre-flop bet of £4 and there are four of us in the pot when the flop comes:

 3d Qd Ad

?

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What should I be thinking on each occasion, and what should my betting be trying to achieve?  Obviously, I think I'm ahead each time - and if I'm up against an over-set then so be it.  But should I be raising to build the pot, but also risking losing customers; should I be calling to try and milk the hand for as much as I can?

My image is that of a tight player, who generally plays good starting hands but mixes it up occasionally (but I'm certainly playing fewer hands than most others at the table).  Does this affect the way I should play my flopped set?  As this is live play at the lowest limits there is a mixture of abilities at the table that range from some very competent players to the downright useless.  How does this affect the way I play it?

 

standard

1st hand I would want to represent a hand like qk/qj so just calling the c-bet is fine imo, you will only get decent money out of aq or an overpair.

Second one I would jam because there is a probable drawing hand in the pot and you can represent a mid pair - once again you will only get action if the original raiser has a hand.  I've changed my online game a bit in that I now will only call for set value against tighter players as they are much more likely to have an overpair when you hit and pay you.  I now commonly 3 bet looser players with 88 and 77 because they often fold and when they don't I have the momentum in the hand and can often take it down with a bet on the flop.

I would actually raise all 3 against an unknown, given effective stacks are 100bbs or more. Though i do balance my range by doing this with alot more than just sets, mainly draws.

Of course there are tonnes of other things involved including history, image, ranges etc.

Hand 1: Flat call. You are in position and against 1 opponent. He will likely bet out again on the turn. If you raise now and he has nothing he will pass. Let him continue on the turn. If he checks you have the options of betting and hopefully it will look like a steal or check and hope he cathches up on the river.

Hand 2: Make it expensive. Mght as well shove.

Hand 3: Any betting? In or out of position? Might check if I am 1st, bet the pot if I have position.

You're in the SB - so first to act on the flop.  Say you check.  What do you do if someone bets say 3/4 of the pot?

raising the flop in hand 1 is ok I guess, but against his range, any hand that will stack off on the flop will almost certainly stack off on the turn, given that he c/bet into 4 people on the flop... so I'd rather call to try and cajole the weaker part of his range to pick up a draw/pair and go with it.

hand 2 is a clear raise, the pot is multiway so their respective ranges involved in the hand are a lot wider. Against 1 person, ie the pre flop raiser, you could feasibly call on the assumption that "no one would call with a made hand on this kinda board because its too draw heavy"... and also because this board figures to hit his range a bit less then someone who flat calls a raise, but with 2 people in there, protect and get value from your hand. Not sure if jamming is correct, id prolly make it 45 or so and then raise the mast and set sail on the turn, at least the smaller bet lets the weaker draws come along for the ride, along with the made hands that are drawing dead.. .sending it in lets the hands with good equity against you stack off, and the ones with almost zero equity find a fold.... obviously shipping isn't a -EV play, but I dont think its the play with the highest equity. Could be wrong though.

hand 3... I'd check and see what action there is behind you, and what position they are in, and what action follows their bet...its hard to say what the best course of action is because relative position is super important in these spots.. ie, your position relative to the pre flop raiser.. but as a standard, checking is ok to see what happens.. try not to fold though.

I didn't actually see the 3rd one (prob ignored it as it is quite difficult).  I would prob play this passively as my hand is prob ahead but far from invulnerable and depending on my position w/r to the preflop raiser I might gain some information.  If the pf raiser bets, and clears out the other players I will prob go ai/raise depending on the stacks and hopefully get a call from axd.  If the pf raiser bets and another player raises its a bit of a tricky spot and it depends a lot on the players stacks etc.  The problem with this hand is that it's not as easy as the others to get paid and if the money goes in it's prob from someone overplaying their draw (either you or them....)

Thanks for the responses all :)up

I know poker is situational, and so there are no 'answers', but was just trying to work out what I should be trying to do with my flopped set. 

I was worried that I was betting too hard, and therefore not getting as much from the hand as possible (but at the same time making someone with a drawing hand make a mistake by calling). 

1. Flat call and re-assess on turn. I follow RichEO's advice if he fires or checks, but I back off if he check/calls the Turn.

2. Make it £12 with £35ish (depending on stack) and reassess on turn. I know most people are saying shove but I'm always wary with bottom set.

3. Check/call unless 2nd to act bets and everyone else calls, then check/fold.

My god, I sound like such a nit...

I'm not backing off here at all.  What hands are you worried about?  Shouldn't I be stacking off here with bottom set?

yes you should...and be happy that you did the right thing.
I lead out in almost all cases if I think I'll get action by the way.


edit * spelling

Officially the tightest player in the world, Tighty is dethroned.

 ;surrender;

Yeah - he really should be betting for information... ;)