flopped top set, now what?

[coolhandluke]

let me start out by saying I'm new to all this, and don't have a clue the best way to handle many situations, but I am learning.

in 3 of my last MTT I got busted out after flopping top set, the first two times I had QQ, and the flops came Qxx with 2 suited. I figured I had the best hand, and since I had a very tight table image, didn't want to drive everyone off opening with a bet, so I checked raised each time. Each time I had one caller, the turn comes no help, and I after the other guy opens, I push, only to lose on the river to a flush.

how should I play this situation after the flop comes up?

[aceragclubs]

You should play it the exact same way, and not get so unlucky. Some people will call any amount with flush draws, and there's not much you can do about it. You got your money in the pot as a pretty big favorite both times.

[RavenJackson]

With a flush draw on the board I would not check raise a set post flop. You are creating a false hope [which is sometimes good when you have a monster] that may give pot odds to the person on a flush draw.

Depending on the sizes of the stacks and your position I would ensure that anyone on a draw pays to try and suck it out, which may require pushing [or betting significantly post-flop].

Good Luck /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[coolhandluke]

thanks guys, I thought I was doing it correctly, but after getting burnt 3 times in a row I was afraid I had made a bad decision. I can live with getting beaten by luck, but not by my own mistakes.

[ZootMurph]

The only time I play a set slowly is when the board is completely uncoordinated... Q72 rainbow or something. On a board like QJ6r or Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif I'd play it fast, betting enough to make draws like KT on the first flop and A5/images/graemlins/heart.gif on the second flop wrong to call. If they still call, and get lucky... what can you do?

But, on that uncoordinated board of Q72 rainbow... I'd check it and try to let someone catch up or hope you can induce a bluff.

[RavenJackson]

I agree wholeheartedly with ZootMurph.

[bads33d]

This same exact situation happened to me yesterday. Almost crippled me. Somehow, I still managed to place 14th out of 813 people in yesterdays super tuesday.

**** Hand History for Game 1243538517 *****
NL Hold'em Trny:7561713 Level:2 Blinds (10/20) - Tuesday, November 30, 21:33:35 EDT 2004
Table Super Tuesday(144629) Table #53 (Real Money)
Seat 8 is the button
Total number of players : 10
Seat 1: Flappindog ( $760 )
Seat 2: Nina500 ( $1850 )
Seat 3: CruelOne ( $1135 )
Seat 5: dearmans ( $1130 )
Seat 6: DonButtons__ ( $1195 )
Seat 7: malibux ( $665 )
Seat 8: bmoss39522 ( $735 )
Seat 9: floogle ( $900 )
Seat 10: YARDMASTER01 ( $950 )
Seat 4: SWIPER_FOX ( $2370 )
Trny:7561713 Level:2
Blinds (10/20)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to DonButtons__ [ Tc Ts ]
Debcakes: Ive lost enought on PP to go arround the world
Flappindog folds.
Nina500 folds.
CruelOne folds.
SWIPER_FOX folds.
dearmans calls [20].
DonButtons__ raises [70].
malibux folds.
bmoss39522 folds.
floogle folds.
YARDMASTER01 folds.
Debcakes: but enjoy it
dearmans calls [50].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 3h, 9s, Th ]
dearmans: well we are going to travel
dearmans checks.
DonButtons__ checks.
** Dealing Turn ** [ 7s ]
dearmans checks.
DonButtons__ bets [70].
dearmans calls [70].
** Dealing River ** [ Ks ]
dearmans checks.
DonButtons__ bets [150].
dearmans raises [300].
DonButtons__ calls [150].
dearmans shows [ 2s, As ] a flush, ace high.
DonButtons__ doesn't show [ Tc, Ts ] three of a kind, tens.
dearmans wins 910 chips from the main pot with a flush, ace high.
Game #1243546576 starts.

I think I misplayed this hand poorly. I put him on a small pocket pair, since he limped called my raise preflop.

But I didnt even think of the fact that he could of limp-called my raise, with a hand like Ah6h, or some suited connector.

I usually play this board fast, as 10 9, on any board gives a lot of straight possibilities, and it had two hearts already. But I also wanted to make value for having the nuts on the flop.

The next card was a spade, making two different flush draws on the board, plus the straight draw still there. I decided to bet 70, a little less than half the pot (maybe should of bet 3/4 of the pot). Right here, I should of obviously put him on a draw, and shut down on the river if any spade, heart or 8, J, Q, 7 came up. But I tried to value bet my set for half the pot.

I should of just checked behind him here, obviously dumb play by me, which cost me 300 chips early.