[jetra2]

OK, this is from the game that I play in each week, this particular hand from last night.

There are 3 players left of the 7 that started. We have decided to chop the prize pool so that 3rd gets the buyin back, 2nd 2x, and 1st 4x, but the league point stay the same, given to 1st and 2nd only. I have just over 11k, my opponent about 7k, and the other guy about 5k and this is the last hand before blinds go up to 300/600, they are 200/400 now. I'm on the button and I find 33. I raise it to 1200, my opponent in the SB doubles the total, making 1200 more to me. The BB folds and I think about it, going through a mental checklist of possible hands he could have, the play I would make if I did/didn't hit my set, how much I would have if I called and won or lost, etc. I make a crying call almost and we go to the flop. The pot is roughly 6k.

Flop:

Alrighty! I hit my set. I believe the BB bet out and I called it.

Turn:

Alright, so now I'm scared of the flush, but I can't afford to be scared. The BB bets about 1600 and I decide to push. It is about a 3/4 pot sized bet but it would put him all in. BB hems and haws and we have a small discussion of what he is holding. I didn't think he'd do this if he didn't have the flush or a straight, but I figure he has a big heart.....literally and figuratively. He decides to call and turns over



The river is the 7 of clubs and he is eliminated.

So, whaddya think? Would you have made that call preflop and how would you have played it if you did or did not hit your set?

Thanks,
Jason

[Toothpic]

I would have called his raise on preflop, but I would have raised him after the flop rather than calling. Especially with the flush draw out there, I would have made it more expensive for him to draw for it. It just turns out that you boated up instead of him getting the flush, but I would have felt very uncomfortable to be in that position.

Lets say you didn't hit trips on the flop, I think with a flop that low, you could have reraised him as well, telling him that the flop didn't help him and you know that. Then again, I'm kinda a newbie so take all that with a grain of salt.

[tomb1]

Yeah, I call pre-flop for that amount. Probably the best hand now, and could still be the best hand after the flop.

Although you hit your set on the flop, those are scary flush and straight draws on the board (flush seems more likely since BB probably had high cards, not low cards). Since BB bet out, I would re-raise post-flop and try to take it down there.

If you don't hit your set, it depends on the flop of course. If there are any high cards that might've hit the BB, ya gotta fold if he bets. If the flop was something like 2-4-8 you still might have the best hand. So I'd bet a moderate amount but be prepared to fold to a check-raise.

[jojobinks]

eh, i wouldn't be afraid of the flush much.

he's only got the draw sometimes, and even when he does he's only gonna make it on the turn 20% of the time. in the meantime, he could make top pair on the turn for you to bust him for everything. you're not gonna flop a set too many more times in this tournament, i'd guess

3 handed when you're big stack is a fine time to slowplay.

[littlebu]

You played it fine NH. I tend to not worry about the flush draw in these spots HU. Probably a leak but meh.

[Harlequin011]

call/limp pre-flop. If you hit your set, which you did, let the other guy maintain the lead in the hand if you think he'll keep up pressure.

But I stick it to him with a big raise to run him off the draws on the flop. But since you both saw the turn, I'd rep a flush and push. Even if he does have a flush, you've got some outs. You're really only dead to another set.

[SpeakEasy]

I disagree with everyone. Wheee.

First Action:
When its my first action on the button, unless I decide to fold (and of course I would not fold a pair here), I would push because of the size of BB stack. Your are not going to fold to a BB push if you raise 3xBB. As played, if SB folded and BB pushed, the pot would be 6400 = 200(SB)+400(BB)+1200(your raise)+4600(remainder of BB stack). If BB pushes, you would be paying 3600 price to win a pot of 6400, so you are certainly not going to fold a pair here to BB push. Therefore, push now on the button.

PF after SB Raise:
As played, I push PF after SB re-raises because (1) SB doesn't have enough left for you to fold on the flop, (2) his min-raise looks like a hand that will push the flop no matter what hits, and (3) you still have some folding equity pre-flop by pushing. If you just call PF and only call his push if you hit a set, SB doesn't have anywhere near enough in his starting stack to give you the right price for this play.

As played, when the action gets back to you PF, the pot is 4000 = 400(BB)+1200(your raise)+2400(SB min-raise). SB started with 7000, so he has 4600 left. If you just call, the pot is 5200. When SB auto-pushes on the flop (which he should) for 4600, are you going to fold at a price of 4600 to win 10,000? No. So, push now to his min-raise.

And, you could account for the escalating blinds the next hand to support the decisions above -- in the next hand, BB will have an M=5 and SB will have an M=7. You're in push or fold mode the next hand. Take advantage of your pair while you can.

On the Flop:
Call the SB bet or just push -- it doesn't really matter since the hand is over and the money is going in anyway once SB bets. Again, he doesn't have enough left to fold after he bets.

[tikipirate]

I would have pushed post flop; in my mind you can't let him have the draws with two hearts on the board. But that's just me.

[Pex657]

I know that position and stack size has alot to do with how people play, but I am just going to look at the situation for a percentage standpoint.
Your hand by it's self has about a 53.29% chance of winning. His hand by itself has a 62.30% chance of winning. Of course you both don't know each others hand. With the flop you know have a 94.85% chance and he has 5.15% chance. With the 5H, you dropped 75% and he went to 25%. Not saying any one played wrong, just thought it would be interesting to look at the percentages.