Player knowledge would help

[Pyso]

Cash Game at DTD. £0.50/£1

My stack is £130. I haven’t been at the table long, although I have been playing for several hours at another table.

In early position I pick up 

I raise to £6 and get one caller, He has around £100 behind. I recognise him but don’t know much about him other than I don’t have any alarm bells going off telling me he is to be avoided at all costs. A big part of the problem with this hand is my complete lack of info about this player. (I won’t go on appearances as I have played with many studious, bookish, well dressed, ‘smart looking’ players who have turned out to be morons and also plenty of dippy looking players who have turned out be very astute and poker savvy).

The pot is £14.50

The flop is         

This is good and bad for me obviously but I can’t be hating having a set.

My opponent looks at his cards immediately, in the way people often do to confirm in their own mind that they do have the draw they think they have, or even that, yes they have hit the flop that hard.

I mentally decide to bet £8 but the chips are sticky and only £6 falls over the line. I don’t mention this. He calls pretty quickly.

The turn is 

Yuk. I am not loving this. The hand is much harder for me now, especially with my being out of position.

Quite possibly making an error here, I check. He bets £30.

He looks relaxed, comfortable, quite happy to receive a caller. I have already made three excellent laydowns tonight on the other table, and I can't believe that I'm now thinking of passing a set. I just seem to be running into brick walls all night. I hope this isn't clouding my judgment.

So now what?

His range in my eyes consists of 8,8, Q,8, 9,8, 10,8, J,8, 7,8 and A,8d (maybe he has a very oddly played over pair but I doubt it) and of these seven possibilities I am winning over five and quite a way behind the other two. The hand is black and white for me - I am either miles in front or miles behind. If I am behind to a straight, his pot size bet, wittingly or otherwise, prevents me from calling solely to fill up. If I shove I feel I will only be called by the straight that is already winning. (Maybe he would call with two pair, maybe he is bad enough to call off his semi bluff (A,8s) after I shove). But either way, as played so far, I either let it go now or call on the basis that I am still winning and reassess on the river if I don’t boat up. It’s not a spot I relish however. I'm not in a habit of folding sets but this is no ordinary set.

If he has the straight, betting the pot does seem an odd line.

Do I just stick it in (someone will tell me to) and suck it up?

Your thoughts please before I tell you what I did and what he showed.

[George2Loose]

Seems like a simple check/call on the turn and check/fold on the river if you don't fill up unless you get some sort of read on the river and want to hero call. His bet sizing is a little suspicious- have you seen him value bet this big previously?

FWIW if you hit your house I check again.

I know you meant to bet 6 and I usually would lead at these boards but OOP is massive disadvantage I may c/raise flop to try and get it in. If he checks behind at least you keeping the pot small when the ugly turn hits. Only problem is losing value but I think it's worth it as most players would slow down on this board anyway.

[Pyso]

Seems like a simple check/call on the turn and check/fold on the river if you don't fill up unless you get some sort of read on the river and want to hero call. His bet sizing is a little suspicious- have you seen him value bet this big previously?

FWIW if you hit your house I check again.

I know you meant to bet 6 and I usually would lead at these boards but OOP is massive disadvantage I may c/raise flop to try and get it in. If he checks behind at least you keeping the pot small when the ugly turn hits. Only problem is losing value but I think it's worth it as most players would slow down on this board anyway.

Unfortunately all my betting pattern info on this player came after this hand, lol.

[MC]

Seems like a simple check/call on the turn and check/fold on the river if you don't fill up

this

[paulhouk03]

i dont think u can raise here unless u have 100% read.
but i would just call and revaluate

[titaniumbean]

I'd bet much bigger on the flop, 11/12. I think c/c is the best on the turn though I hate his bet size then re-evaluate the river. Sticking it in really doesn't seem to be a good option.

[kinboshi]

I'd bet much bigger on the flop, 11/12. I think c/c is the best on the turn though I hate his bet size then re-evaluate the river. Sticking it in really doesn't seem to be a good option.

This. 

You miss your house on the river, then you might have to concede you're behind and either check-call if his bet's small enough, or check fold.  No shame in folding top set if you think you're behind.  Of course, like you said if you know the player it might be an easy call, against others an easy fold. 

[Pyso]

Thanks for the replies all.

The reason I posted was because after I folded to his £30 bet on the turn, he smirked and showed an 8 like he was a genius.

I said something sarcastic like "yeah that helps, I know the other one is a queen" but now thinking back, the possibility of A8 suited seems very likely and I'm kicking myself for passing. He quite possibly had 8,8 as well.

Although, having seen him in action after this hand maybe he did have it... He would bet small when he had sod all. The only time I saw a big bet was against me which makes me think that in his weird world he did have the straight.

I just didn't ask him - I mean, what's the point? When someone shows you one card they clearly think they are a poker god and that they are 'messing with your mind'. Look into my eyes, look into my eyes...

[Cf]

I just didn't ask him - I mean, what's the point? When someone shows you one card they clearly think they are a poker god and that they are 'messing with your mind'. Look into my eyes, look into my eyes...

A lot of things tilt me in poker, but showing one card is up near the top of the list. The best is when the button raise and the blinds fold and they show an ace going "i'm not stealing, honest".

[mouth]

One of my pet hates is players showing one card. I prefer pushing both my cards across to the player who has just folded and saying "Turn any one of them over... they both missed", or pushing back against the solo card shower then flashing him a 3 or similar. Trouble is, then I look as big a cock as him.

[salfi]

i actually bet this turn because i can obviously represent the st8 (semi bluffing)and if he calls i sure he has a st8 so i control bet size on turn and then i value check raise here on the river cause ide expect him to bet the river if he has called the turn.  just my thoughts but live this seams to get all the money in at this kinda level. anyone else take this line?   

[titaniumbean]

i actually bet this turn because i can obviously represent the st8 (semi bluffing)and if he calls i sure he has a st8 so i control bet size on turn and then i value check raise here on the river cause ide expect him to bet the river if he has called the turn.  just my thoughts but live this seams to get all the money in at this kinda level. anyone else take this line?   

against really straight forward opponents with any sort of loose image you can bet turn again and call a mr to fill up or fold to a shove. still probably play as I said before.