Hand Protection

[WSOP Bound]

Table seems pretty typical for these limits. UTG+2 is LP and MP3 has only been on the table for 4 hands.

Ultimate Bet 0.05/0.10 Hold'em (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 2/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
Hero calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+2 calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP3 raises</font>, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, Hero calls, UTG+2 calls.

Flop: (7.40 SB) 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 3/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
Hero checks, UTG+2 checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP3 bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls.

I figure my best bet on this coordinated flop is to check hoping to check raise MP3 and try to get heads up against him. The thought process is that the PFR is likely NOT playing a draw here, but UTG+2 could have one so I want him out.

Turn: (6.70 BB) 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG+2 calls, MP3 folds.

I'm not sure what to do here. If either of my opponents are playing a draw then they will likely get the odds to properly call my bet, but if I check and it checks through then I'm giving them infinite odds to draw. Since I can't see a way to get opponents out (or at least make them make a mistake) it seems I should value bet.

River: (8.70 BB) 4/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+2 raises</font>, Hero ???

Okay so now i ended up heads up against the opponent that I thought could be drawing to something. And to make matters worse the river card brings home the 4 straight. Trying not to believe in monsters under the bed I bet and get raised by a passive opponent who played passively until the river. What do I do here? Any chance that I'm good?

[nomadtla]

I play UB as well (I assume I've seen you if your UB name is the same). Anyways, I've never played UB at that low a limit but have seen this play several times at the limits I play. Sometimes it's 45 (meaning the player is a moron) or sometimes it's something as simple as A4 or two spades that missed and are donkbetting (also meaning player is a moron but a different kind)

But anyways on to your play
Preflop: I usually avoid small pocket pairs in EP most of the tables I find on UB are to tight for me to think their profitable.
Flop: check/raise is beautiful IMHO exactly what you want to do here of course flush draws are getting odds to continue. Would anyone just call here and try to C/R a not spade non straight turn, just wondering if that's better protection, or a missaplication of this idea (plus if MP2 is betting overs he may not bet the turn)?
Turn: you're right cant aford it getting checked through good bet.
River: you're getting 11:1 on your call so you only have to be good 9% of the time to make this call profitable (and I think your easily that). If you'd seen them do it before with a missed draw or "badly" slowplayed 2 pair I might say raise but given only a marginal read I say just call, and make a note of what he played like that.

As a side note look me up if you see me on UB I give out money like it's my job /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[WSOP Bound]

Thanks for the feedback! I agree that on this particular table I should have folded the small pocket pairs, but I was two tabling at the time and in a hand on the other table. On 95% of these nano-limit tables they seem to be profitable, but I certainly want more than two other players in the hand if I hit the set.

I thought about holding off for the turn for the C/R, but as you pointed out I just can't believe that MP3 connected well with this flop and unless he has a pocket pair is likely to shutdown on the turn. I might be playing this wrong. C/Ring the turn would certainly be better protection, but it seems that a lot of players will autobat this flop after their PFR, but give the free card on the turn. And of course that would be a disaster. The only thing that makes me doubt my line is that if I'm not successful in driving out opponents here there are a lot of turn cards that can hurt my hand.

[WSOP Bound]

[ QUOTE ]
As a side note look me up if you see me on UB I give out money like it's my job /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


I certainly will once I get back out of the nano-limits /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Rev. Good Will]

you have a friggen set, stop being so paranoid

Given your read, UTG+2 could very well have anything at the flop

even if UTG+2 showed 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif5/images/graemlins/spade.gif, you still have 7 outs to improve to a boat or better to the turn, and if you miss then, 10 outs to imporve a boat or better till river.

just bet/raise your ass off

[WSOP Bound]

[ QUOTE ]
you have a friggen set, stop being so paranoid

[/ QUOTE ]

Does this mean that you wouldn't try to c/r MP3 on the flop? I am likely misapplying the concept, but what turns this from a hand to protect to one that should be value bet?

[GrunchCan]

I didnt read everything, but I'd just bet out on the flop. Your position relative to the PFR sucks for a CR -- you dont want to blow the field away.

[GrunchCan]

Sorry I just noticed the post title.

Um, protection? From what, exactly? Who are you afraid will continue to the turn whom you dont want to continue? Serious question.

[bottomset]

I'd bet the flop

and stop n go the turn if raised

[nickg1532]

yeah, don't worry about protecting your hand here. the only hands a check raise is going to get rid of are hands that are drawing slim/dead anyways (the one exception is a gutshot, but it doesn't hurt to trap them for multiple bets, especially since you have a strong redraw even if they hit). the flushes are never folding, so don't blow away the others whom you want to come along. you're better to just bet and pump this for value.

I think the situation is rare when you should be worrying about protecting your set on the flop. 99% of the time you should take the line that gets the most value. As a default you want to think about trapping people for 3 or 4 bets, rather than facing them with 2 cold. Save the protection lines for your hands that are more vulnerable and don't have redraws.