$200+15 sng, flop a set on level 1

[Paluka]

You get dealt 22 in the small blind. Blinds 10-15. Level 1 of a party sng. This is like hand 3 and basically everyone has 1000 chips.
Two guys limp, you limp, bb checks. Flop 24Q rainbow. You check, and it checks around. Turn is a 5 putting 4 suits on the board. You bet 60, which happens to be the size of the pot. The bb calls, and now the button makes it 175. Your action?

[Gramps]

If it's an unknown player, I call, check-call the River. There's too many early crazies/odd & illogical players, even in the 215s, for me to assume A3 or a flop-checked-behind higher set - but there's a definite chance of such a hand being out. If he has a hand that beats you, he'll want to get paid off by a worse hand, and isn't likely to punish you too badly on the River (maybe 200-300), at least leaving you with some chips if you lose.

If it's a player I know is solid and who I know doesn't get out of line...what hand that you beat would he (a) limp in with on the button, and (b) check-behind the flop, then raise the Turn? I don't like being weak-tight, but against said opponent, you're f----d the majority of the time.

If it's a player I know plays a bunch of junk up front, and has a penchant for being odd & illogical/reckless postflop, I call the Turn, check-raise his arse on the River (absent a 3, and maybe a 6 or Ace) and live with the consequences.

[DonButtons]

Why you check the flop? I would lead out on the flop.

I hate slow playing a set of 2s.

But since you did, check-call unless the board pairs the river.

[Crosby]

Hi Chris,

Call the turn. If the BB reraises I'm looking for an exit. If the river pairs the board I'm leading for around 250 with the intention of calling all-in. If the river comes 3 I'm checking and only calling a very small bet (basically check-fold). Any other river and I'm leading and folding to a raise.

Thinking about this hand makes me wonder if checking the flop is the best play. In an unraised pot with bottom set, any midrange card that falls could have given an opponent a higher set, and you will have a very hard time escaping. A bad player with a Q or 99 or whatever will give you the action you want on the flop when it is certainly worth risking that you are ahead and the proper course of action will be clear. Also, a bet out from the SB may appear weaker (QJ, A4s, 77 etc). I would actually like your line more if you held AQ, because it's much harder for the trap you're setting to backfire that way since you can release much easier. The fact that a hand like AQ is more easily overtaken doesn't bother me much at this level because the pot is small and again it's easier to find a fold.

If this all sounds weak-tight, it is. I play the first couple levels in sitngos very tight-passive.

[Crosby]

I wish I'd read DonButtons post first, as I agree completely and that's a much more concise description to boot.

[adanthar]

I would *much* rather have bet the flop and hope AQ/88 raises, but unless he has exactly 55 or A3s (A3o? Really?) you have the button beat. There are a number of hands he could have here, from AQ-QJ (I've seen dumber) to 54s to a semibluffing 3 (or 67!) to 99.

Something like half the deck sucks for you at this point, though, and you don't know which parts. I don't think I want this to go to showdown and I really don't think I want the BB in.

Here's what I do, although it's close: I reraise it to 300 right here. If the BB calls or the button reraises any amount rather than calls, I fold here/on the river. If the button just calls, I assume a draw or 2 pair and probably check/call a completely safe (non A, 3, 4, 5, 8) river and blocking bet/fold any of the others.

I pretty much hate all of those options at this point but that sounds like the best one just because playing this against *2* $200 players is pretty suicidal.

[Crosby]

Adanthar, would you mind elaborating on what the minreraise accomplishes in the hand? You mention that you are seeking to avoid a showdown but I don't see how the minreraise accomplishes that. The button is simply not folding. Does the BB fold enough additional hands for an extra 125 that you want him to fold? Do you mean that you can buy a cheap showdown this way? That makes sense to me since you're likely either way ahead or way behind, and you may have outs if behind, but I don't really see how the minreraise accomplishes that when you're going to throw out a blocking bet or fold anyway.

I feel like I have to be missing something here. I don't minreraise as much as a lot of my opponents, so I'm hoping you could shed some light onto the value of the play here.

[ZeeJustin]

I think not betting the flop is big mistake.

I have 2 classifications of players in these. The good/winning players, and everyone else. Approximately 30% of players in any given SNG fall into the former category.

I'll assume the opponent is in the "everyone else" category. I'm honostly looking to get all-in on the turn. I'd probably raise to 450 or so. I think you'll be shown an awful hand a lot more often than A3 or a better set. QT, Q5, 54, 77, KK, who knows. I never respect 215 sng players until they give me a reason to respect them.

[adanthar]

[ QUOTE ]
Adanthar, would you mind elaborating on what the minreraise accomplishes in the hand? You mention that you are seeking to avoid a showdown but I don't see how the minreraise accomplishes that. The button is simply not folding. Does the BB fold enough additional hands for an extra 125 that you want him to fold? Do you mean that you can buy a cheap showdown this way? That makes sense to me since you're likely either way ahead or way behind, and you may have outs if behind, but I don't really see how the minreraise accomplishes that when you're going to throw out a blocking bet or fold anyway.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know the players at the $215's so ZeeJustin's answer is probably better, but basically, I assumed they tend to be pretty decent.

Given that, what I'm representing by this reraise from the any two cards SB is at least 44, and more like a straight. If you're on the other end of this and you're any good, you can't possibly reraise with less than a straight, although you might just call. (BTW, if you have 44 and checked behind for some reason, the river is a 3, and I lead out after this sort of turn action you're probably right to fold.) I'm giving odds to a lone 3 or 76 to call, but I can live with that when given the rest of his (more likely) hand range.

If the BB calls *this* pot bet-big raise-reraise sequence the worst possible hand he can have is something like Q5 and if he's that bad or worse, he needs my chips more than I do.

BTW, a)like ZJ said not betting the flop is a huge mistake and b)in a $10 SNG your thought process should go 'I have a set, I'm all in.'