completely unavoidable?

[kdotsky]

Stars 10+1 rebuy. 25 left, I've got ~190K and am about 3rd place, blinds 4k-8k 200 ante. I get 77 UTG+1. I would normally limp but I min raise because the blinds are so huge I could very well take it down right there. Only guy at the table that has me covered flat calls from MP. Flop comes 2c-7h-9h. I bet the pot, about 40K. he raises the min to 80K. I move in, he calls and shows 99 for tops set over my middle set.

Should I have just not messed with the only guy at the table that has me covered? Or was this just unavoidable? Yeah I could have strolled to the final table and focused on the small stacks to gain ground, but then again I would have been a huge chip leader if I won that hand. Looking back on it it makes sense that he had top set. If he had a higher PP, he probably woulda reraised me preflop. The only thing he would put his whole stack in on (he barely had me covered) was a set... But seems like if I put the only guy at the table that can bust me on the only possible cards than can bust me, that's just playing scared poker.

thoughts?

[durron597]

I would definitely raise more preflop. If he flatcalls you, most players you can put them on QQ-88, or two big cards. When you bet the pot, if he miniraises, that means he probably has a hand like 99. Against a solid, tight player whose raises I respect I would hope I could fold when he miniraises me after a pot. I usually view miniraises as a sign of true strength.... and even then he might have 22, or QQ and want to play back at you on a ragged flop.

This is a toughy. I probably go bust here too.

[Dominic]

almost everyone goes bust here...i wouldn't worry about it...the only thing that could've saved you is if you limped, he raised and you threw them away pre-flop.

[Roman]

I would raise 3x pf and always go broke on the flop.