[Lurshy]

I'll give this a shot...

When you slow play, it usually takes a 2nd best hand to step up and pay off, unless you can induce a pure bluff from a known bluffer. You want to make certain the free card(s) you give are unlikely to hurt you. I think it also matters what your posiiton is. If EP, you are more likely to see someone feed the pot behind you with a TP, 2nd pair, or bluff bet, so a check is more likely to have the desired effect. But in late position with just a mini-monster and everone checking to you, you are simply giving everyone a free card - and a chance to pick up a card to beat you. You have seen when you have slo-played people suck out against you. In the 1st example, betting on the button will likely take down the hand unless someone has TP, This though is unlikely given the betting and the board). Betting here pot sized will even get rid of the gut shot JQ holders. But by giving the free card, someone can easily pick up a str8 or flush draw, and cause them to hang untill the river, it may even give 1010 or JJ a chance to pick up a set (and those hands may have not have raised or bet the flop in front of you). Now you can bet the turn with them on the draw, but they can suck out and beat you, though you are still the favorite.

Frankly, I would usually rather take it down than go to the river. If someone calls you fine, but the free thing is risky. I Think when you hold a hand that is less likely to be beat by free cards it is correct to slo play, You flop a quads or a boat (rare but it happens).

Now with the 1st board if someone had bet into you on the flop, a call may be okay. They are likely betting the K, and your set is good, there is little chance they can improve TP vs you, as if they make a 2nd pair your set is still good, and if the board pairs, you have the boat.... They may bet into you again on the turn when you can step it up.

Sets are good hands but they are rarely the nuts. Baby str8s or flushes may also lose on later streets to bigger ones. I usually do not try to get too fancy, and bet my hand in late position if it is checked to me, but if someone else bets into me thats another story, even then it can back fire.

Yesterday I lost a limit hand with a set of Aces as someone rivered a str8. I raised AA preflop late position two callers after my raise, someone in early position bet into me on the flop (Axx), I called 1 folder, Turn 10. EP bet, I raised he calls, River Q. EP of course flipped over the KJ... If I had raised the flop, I might have forced him out, though this was low limit (2-4) so who knows. I'm not complaining about a bad beat, I was a BIG favorite, and was heads up, and wanted him around, but I paid the price...

HTH