How to play middle/bottom sets?

grazzt

This is something that has gotten me confused. Lately with middle/low pocket pairs, when I flop a set, I have lost the last 6 pots Ive been in, all to straights or flushes. (ok, so another bad beat post eh? heh)

So what am I doing wrong? If I check the flop, that gives them a free card, if I bet it, Im just going to end up losing more.

Best example is the hand i just played, 500 person mtt, im 12/87, middle position, I limp in with 55, 3 other limpers. Flop is 5hQhKd, and at the point I know Im going to lose, I just know it. First person bets half the pot (and has me covered), at the point I say "FUC.... err, screw it" and put all my chips in, others fold, and he thinks about it and calls with Kh2h. Heart hits turn, and the board fails to pair on the river, so Im out.

Am I doing this wrong? Should have I just called and then folded after the turn? Maybe a preflop raise with small pp?

I know its good that I got all my chips in with the best hand.. that still doesnt make me happy. :-)

Good to vent I guess. stupid straights and flushes. :-)

ScottyZ

What was your stack size, and what were the blinds/antes?

Moving all-in when you're 12th of 87 players in chips strikes me as a gigantic overbet.

ScottyZ

BBC Z

at the point I say "FUC.... err, screw it"

I find that I lose about 8/10 of the showdowns where I've said that to myself.. I think it's the 2 that I win that makes me think it's ok..

As for your hand..

Holdem Hi: 990 enumerated boards containing Kd Qh 5h
cards win %win lose %lose tie %tie EV
5s 5c 695 70.20 295 29.80 0 0.00 0.702
Kh 2h 295 29.80 695 70.20 0 0.00 0.298

Nuff said. Keep putting in chips in that situation.

Pigga

i'd say easy push here, you have 3rd best hand, and i'd say the best hand b/c more than likely if the guy had KK or QQ he mostly would of raised preflop..so i'd push in a heartbeat here, no questions asked.....depending on your position (according to the button) and what the blinds/antes were compared to your stacks i probably would put a raise in preflop, hoping that the other person wouldnt call, but its sooted , so ya never know.
with that flop though, i would easily push all in, i know he was dominated and gladly accept him betting into me like that......just sucks that he hit one of nine outs, what baffles me, (regardless of him having K2h) that he probably didnt consider folding after u went over the top of him representing, K-better kicker,2 pair, or a set.......but thats poker......better luck next time .....you made the right move, imho, the caller, didnt



ps. Please post hand history if you have it so we can see what kind of stack you had and position, also, what is the buy-in for the tourney and how many get paid? if the guy who made the flush bet half the pot, i might of just called (depending on stack) and how long til ITM,and check-folded if a heart came on the turn, if it didnt, and was a brick, i'd push there.

BBC Z

what baffles me, (regardless of him having K2h) that he probably didnt consider folding after u went over the top of him representing, K-better kicker,2 pair, or a set.

He's on a draw to beat all those hands so of course the opponent doesn't care about better kickers or 2 pairs or even sets. As for the preflop limp with K2.. he's looking for the flush draw and he got it on the flop (with the bonus of top pair. Blinders are on and he wants to dance on his 30% shot.

check-folded if a heart came on the turn,

Umm don't forget about the re-draw that the set has to make a boat and take the entire pot.

and was a brick, i'd push there

And he'd fold and you win a small pot after flopping a monster.

I think there are two ways to play this hand.
1) Push the flop.
2) Slowplay the set and put in a 3/4 pot bet on the turn.. Something that'll make him stick around.. The problem with slowplaying is that on the river, if he missed his flush he folds and you win nothing.