Maximising a monster

[TightEnd]

Live MTT

early-ish blinds 100-200. Average 7,000

Hero 9,000

UTG 12,000

SB 7,000

BB 6,000

All are solid players, if they bet they should be assumed to have it types

UTG limps

Hero limps with  , prepared to set mine if there's a LP raise.

Folded round, Both blinds complete check

Flop 

It's checked to hero

Is your default line to bet here? With what sort of frequency do you give a free card to your tight opponents?

[GlasgowBandit]

I bet my set about 90% of times, but with 2 flushing cards on board I aint fot giving any free cards here at all.  I think sometimes betting set disguises the strength of your hand, what you have to consider here i think is your own rep your renowned for being a tight player so checking the flop or calling a bet maybe not too bad.

[cia260895]

pot sized bet here,

 would never give free cards when 2 to the flush

[Graham C]

I prob lead out here too for just over half the pot.   Need to get something in the pot and if they all fold so be it.

[cia260895]

surely by betting just over half the pot your giving them odds to call surely you dont want a call?

 I'd be happy to take this 1 down on the flop

[EvilPie]

With position you might as well bet out now. Someone might think you're having a go at it because nobody's shown any strength.

You can then check or flat the turn to show weakness hoping to induce a bluff or value bet on the end

Oop you could check call, check call. Hope for no club then represent the missed flush bluff but in this situation you're buggered really.

Ideally for set mining you want someone to have raised. This suggests they have a strong hand and you're more likely to get paid.

In this instance you're more likely to be up against limping type hands, suited connectors etc. so you can't afford to be giving free cards.

Not much chance of being paid well here unfortunately. You're unlikely to be up against 2 pairs. Best chance is KQ, KJ, K10 (unlikely as they probably lead out) or if you're really lucky 22. Other than that you're not getting much here without risking a lot.

[Jim-D]

 I'd be happy to take this 1 down on the flop

You seriously want people to fold worse hands here?

[Graham C]

surely by betting just over half the pot your giving them odds to call surely you dont want a call?

 I'd be happy to take this 1 down on the flop

I know my thinking behind this, rightly or wrongly, but can't quite explain it lol!   (I'm not the best at PHA posts)  

Basically, a flush draw isn't the only hand that's going to be calling a just over half pot bet and I don't want to get rid of everyone.  Also, there's more of a chance of a thrid club not coming than the flush arriving so I want to be building a nice sized pot.

[AndrewT]

Bet 3/4 pot (600).

Checking here is awful - you're against three opponents, if none of them will call a bet here, then none of them will on the turn either unless they improve to be ahead. You've got to try and get some money into the pot - if none of them have owt, so be it.

[EvilPie]

surely by betting just over half the pot your giving them odds to call surely you dont want a call?

 I'd be happy to take this 1 down on the flop

That's madness.

With that attitude you're only looking for action with a set if it's a rainbow board.

You can't be scared of the flush all the time and want to scare everyone away with an overbet.

Admittedly you don't want to be giving free cards but they're 4 to 1 against hitting a flush if they're on the draw so there's no harm in a half pot sized bet.

If you happen to take it down on the flop you just shrug your shoulders and get a bit upset that you didn't maximise your value from this huge hand you've made. You're definitely not looking to take it down now to avoid losing.

[Graham C]

Evilpie and Andrews posts are what I mean.

[AlexMartin]

I check it back, ur viewed as too tight to get action from bluffs (checkraises), kings will bet flop as will fd's. Check it back, let someone takeoff, board is ridic dry and you have the nuts, give someone opportunity to do something silly.

[TightEnd]

I check it back, ur viewed as too tight to get action from bluffs (checkraises), kings will bet flop as will fd's. Check it back, let someone takeoff, board is ridic dry and you have the nuts, give someone opportunity to do something silly.

I did bet 600, they all folded.  Oh well. I almost always bet here, btw.

My point in posting is really what Alex refers to here..if you yourself have a rock image, is there any mileage in checking, accepting the risk that someone may have two clubs, however unlikely, and hoping someone im proves on the turn?

In other words, build the pot down the streets not on the flop


Just experimenting with different thoughts.

[cia260895]

Looking at the other responses I can see that obv i am playing to tight or i just dont want an awkward decision later

[TightEnd]

Looking at the other responses I can see that obv i am playing to tight or i just dont want an awkward decision later

as I say, my standard play is to bet here say 2/3 of pot or more to pot build. Not because I am scared of the flush card coming..something Flushy rammed home to me on PHA!

alternative I pondered was check flop, call a bet on the turn (hopefully someone takes a stab/improves) and raise, board texture permitting, on river

different risk/reward from the hand.