In the last three sessions, I have been trapped with a set. Only one situation did I smell something funny and lay my hand down after being reraised on the turn. (the hand went on to a heads up show down, so I saw the set).

I'm not sure how to approach this so I decided to post what seems to be poor play on my part.
1.Not being able to see the trap and being convinced I have a better hand.
2.Betting too much on a Turn to throw off a hand that might be drawing. (and then seeing they had me dominated since the flop.)
3.Not knowing the player well enough and I convince myself that they are playing middle pair that could improve on the turn/river.
4.Not always knowing the difference between being a mature player and laying a hand down or being a player that lays a solid hand down because I'm playing scared.

So I thought you guys could help me with my thinking. I ask myself how I would like to play pocket 22-88 pre-flop.

1. See the flop cheaply from mid to late postion
2. Hope I hit a set on the flop and be ready to muck if I don't.
3. If I hit my set on the flop, how would I play it? What is the texture of the flop? What are the stack sizes? Who is still in the hand (position and image)?
4. Maybe I see a free turn card that give me a set?



I don't know if I really have an active thought process to avoid a set while I'm playing. I know that I have lost too much money in a few days because of this situation. I don't like that feeling. It makes me sad. I want to feel good and redeem myself with solid play.

Thanks for your help.
Matt
St. Louis

Edit: I meant to post this in the "Poker Theory" thread but maybe it could work here as well.

Its very dependent on the type of players your playing against.

I'm playing 1-2 live in Ac casinoes...where players tend to be super passive...or super lagy with supper passive being the bigger part, and 80% are pretty loose. check raises and raises are rare. Donk bets are much more common and may have a wider range, (which is often nice because they save you a C-bet when you miss on the rear 2 way pot), they may bluff if you check to them but they don't bluff raise..

Against passive players....don't worry about commitment...if they raise the turn they have the goods....(two pair will be the exception)....if they raise the flop, and your at all deep consider folding they have the goods..

In general push top pair, good kicker...(you should mostly be in postion because your playing much wider in positon)...bet the turn to protect (get value) unlike on line or higher stake, most of these players never check raise as semi bluff...if they do kudo's to them. bet for value much more often then playing online at say 10-25 or something, since check raises and raises are not a problem.

The few players who do raise the flop and turn, check raise ect....tend to do it often so you should have a read and plan to pot conttrole ( also if you check back (or just check) the turn, they are the same players who will bet bottom pair or missed flush on the river) so you pick up an extra bet.

Keep in mind the more players in a hand the more honest people get (though some bad players still slow play sets but what can you do )...they call stupidly multi way but most players bet out much more abc...

As you get deeper, big bets in apsolute terms tend to mean strong hands...They don't make 200 + bets (at 1-2) without the near nuts, maybe bottom set....they also tend to be able to find bigger lay downs...(other players at 2+2 seem to disagree with me here somewhat, but for what I have observed,it seems pretty true in my games)...

Hope that helps.....

Just remember, sets are kinda rare...I don't really worry I'm up against one too much unless it's a limped pot, stacks are deep, and I'm facing alot of aggression. Or there's a 3-bet preflop and flop comes like K Q J. Or I'm against a super nit that is suddenly showing aggression.

But overall, sets are really rare. The way this forum talks, you'd think they are so common (since people are so willing to release overpairs, and since people post threads like "i have bottom set, can I fold this flop now?"). I can easily play 10 hour sessions and never see any set at a showdown.

1. Keep betting until raised.
2. People don't bluff as often as you think.

I try to notice which players at my table are flopping sets a lot, and I try to avoid playing big pots against those players. I much prefer to be in pots against players who "never get a hand" or aren't good enough to make any.

This post doesn't make any sense at all.

what level? Makes a really big difference. 1/2 plays different then 2/5 whichj plays different then 5/10.
Generally it comes down to hand reading / situation reading and having some knowledge of the villian.

eg: 2/5 game - UTG+1 limps followed by 2 more limpers. Btn makes it 40 with AJ and gets called be UTG+1 only.
flop 27Jr
UTG+1 checks btn bets 2/3 pot V calls
turn 9
turn btn bets 1/2P and gets c/r

a set woulde be a likely holding for UTG+1
many players limp/call with small-med PPs (or SCs) on this dry board the action coupled with board texture suggests a set is very plausible.

it seems to make about as much sense as trying to answer the op. Unless in answer the op you write a 5 page essay you use a lot of if statements.