Maximize winnings with Bottom Set?

[bnorthro]

MP2 is TightPassive/Aggresive, after 48 hands he's 18.75/2.08 (VPIP/PFR)
CO is TightAggressive/Passive, after 38 hands he's 18.4/13.6

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 max, 9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 7/images/graemlins/club.gif, 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, MP2 calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Hero calls, MP2 calls.

I figure this is a pretty standard call. If I catch a set, great, if not it's easy to get away from.

Flop: (6.50 SB) A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, J/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, MP2 folds, CO calls.

Perfect flop. Now what to do to maximize winnings? I was hoping MP2 would bet and CO raise, which happened. Should I have just called here and waited for the turn to CR? Any J or A could give one of them a set (more likely an A), but that fills me up, so that's fine. MP2 folded, I think he would have stuck around for 1 more to him, but maybe not 2.


Turn: (6.75 BB) 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, CO calls.

River: (8.75 BB) 9/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, CO calls.

Rest of the hand is standard.

Final Pot: 10.75 BB


My question is when should I have gone crazy? Flop or Turn? How would you play this?

Thanks

[cold_cash]

I would bet the flop.

Hopefully MP2 will call, and the CO will raise to announce his presence with authority. At that point, you can 3-bet.

If you're planning a check-raise you need to be aware of your position relative to where you think a bet will come from. You got lucky that MP2 led the flop.

[numeri]

I think you should bet and hope CO has an A and will raise. Your plan to C/R CO actually will usually drive MP2 out of the hand.

[Fantam]

Yours is a good question. I remember 3-betting a flop in similar circumstances with a set once and losing the rest of the field apart from the flop 2-better.

I now think that you would be better off to just call on the flop after it has been 2-bet, so as not to face MP2 calling 2 cold. (I would also do this if there were more players in the pot)

Then I agree that you would be in a good position to go for a check/raise on the turn, where it is likely that CO would have bet again.

If CO had called instead of raising the flop, I would have continued with your plan of check/raising as there would only have been one more bet to call. Then I would have led out on the turn.

Nice hand post. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Fantam]

[ QUOTE ]
I would bet the flop.

Hopefully MP2 will call, and the CO will raise to announce his presence with authority. At that point, you can 3-bet.

If you're planning a check-raise you need to be aware of your position relative to where you think a bet will come from. You got lucky that MP2 led the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats a good point. If you checked, MP2 also checked and CO bet, you would have been left with the same decision you faced in this hand. If you raised you would have risked driving MP2 out.

Betting into the preflop raiser, allowing him to reraise would probably have been a better way to try to build up the pot.