Yet another set on a monotone flop (Pair The Board Dammit)

[Ojo_Rojo]

Ive been having problems with my sets lately, please help!!
No reads. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Cryptologic 100NL Full Ring

Goodie $91.50 (Button)
Baddie (BB) has me covered.

Preflop:
3 limps to me in the button with 99. I limp, and the Baddie checks his option.

Flop: $5 : [ 9 Q 3 ] (All [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]s)
All check to me, I bet $5, BB calls, and UTG calls.

Turn: $20 : [ 7 ] [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
I bet $20, Baddie pushes, UTG folds. Its $65 to me.
What do you do now? Please feel free to rip apart my play on all streets.

Many thanks,

Ojo_Rojo

[BZ_Zorro]

In this hand:

Check behind the turn. Yes you're probably ahead and giving a free card but check calls on a three flush board scare me. IMO you should be betting where you can confidently make a call, raise or fold decision. In this hand if you get raised or flat called you have no idea where you stand.

In general:

I don't think you're missing much value by playing weak-tight on flopped three flushes. More often than not I've gotten into trouble when I didn't have that flush or draw.

In most cases when I have a set (or any hand) on a three flush, I'm betting enough to take it down as it's the perfect scare flop. If I get raised I'm folding, if called I'm seeing a cheap showdown. Most times a flush will price you in if you play scared, and there are excellent implied odds for a boat.

Yes you may be ahead and giving free cards, so be it. Set on a three flush isn't that great a hand.

If the board doesn't pair or four flush by the river I check/call a smallish amount.

Don't know if this is good poker but it works for me.

Best wishes,

BBP.

<edit>Oh and it'd be wrong to call this, but I'd be very tempted. Donks do this sometimes with rubbish like 2 pair or the A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] He probably has you beat but that boat is just one card away [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[directscooter]

BZ, he was first to act here so I am assuming you mean check and let the Villain lead out. Would have probably kept the pot smaller and allowed the Hero to see a the river cheaper. But also is giving a lot away to the Ax.

I, in the normal scheme of things would play it just like OP did, I have a very tough time getting away from sets, and since he just called your flop I probably pay him off but his reraise looks strong to me, he doesn't appear worried about a flush does he, meaning he probably has one. If you had a good read that he would do this without the flush that could make all the difference as well.

[Ojo_Rojo]

HI BBP.. your comments are helpful, thanks.

I agree, if the villain is happy to slowplay his flopped flush, as so many do, I should take advantage and get priced in nicely to fill up on the river.

I think a big leak in my game is not slowing down on big decisions in big hands, getting myself in a "Lose most/Win least" mess. Yuck. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]. Need to post more.

PS. Long time no see, will be playing more on Party, this week, so see you at the tables. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Ojo_Rojo

Oh and by the way I called, villain turned over Kx [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], and I received no help on the river.

[BZ_Zorro]

How is he first to act? He's button.

Just to clarify, bet the flop. I usually pot the flop with anything when a three flush shows.

Slow down with two callers. Yes, you're probably ahead, yes, it's weak tight, but flopped flushed are no different to turned or rivered flushes when you have a set - be careful.

[directscooter]

Whoops, read the hand, but then looked at the action and saw that Hero just bet out on turn, sorry. Brain is not working it is Friday...

[coffeecrazy1]

I'm glad the hand worked out for you. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I think that my one concern is your preflop limp, actually. Everything else aside, I think I would have liked to have turned up the pressure a little bit to drive out some of the overcards that you would be having to fade...especially since you have the best position to do so.

But...that's water under the bridge. Tough decision, for sure postflop. I have seen this go either way. Some people will stay in with any suited cards, so you can't really ever completely rule out the flush. And, unfortunately, you had no redraw to a higher flush, so a fourth diamond has you, regardless.

I honestly think this one would depend on how I was feeling at that moment. If I have no other reads, no reason to think one way or the other, I make whatever decision I make, and feel satisfied either way, because he could have anything at this point(something that the PF raise might have clarified a bit).