Do you fold a favorite?

[sirpupnyc]

No, this isn't one of those first-hand-AA-facing-all-in questions.

Pokerroom's 20K guaranteed, 150-300 blinds, most of the way through the 2nd hour, 260ish left out of 700+, top 90 paid. I'm low-middle of the pack with 5k, below average.

Q5o in the big blind, 1 limper and the SB completes. Flop 556 with two hearts. Woo hoo, flopped a set.

SB checks, I decide to check in hopes the limper will bet (this is an error, yes?). Limper bets 500. All according to plan so far.

SB goes all-in and has me covered. This wasn't part of my plan, but unless he has 66, K5 or A5 (or Qh5), I'm way ahead. I pays my money and I takes my chances, right? There's no sense in folding for fear of the three hands that are currently beating me or the handful that could outdraw me? Folding lets me stick around to take my chances in some other pot, but you don't exactly get a lot of double-up offers at times when you're reasonably sure you're way ahead.

He was the SB in an unraised pot, so he could have anything at all. Also, I've just arrived at this table so I know nothing about the guy. Arguments in favor of folding, but not big ones, are they?

I call, he shows Jh4h. And of course you wouldn't be reading this story if he hadn't caught the 7h on the turn for his flush.

[SossMan]

if you're not going to the felt there, then you should just muck for free in the BB.

[PoBoy321]

So you mean that you're going to fold to any flop bet unless you're a 100% favorite? You'll get outdrawn. It happens.

[Smoothcall]

You checked in order to trap. Now you trapped them now your considering folding? You have to call. You will be the favorite most of the time. And a big one at that. You took a bad beat it happens. But you played it perfectly thats whats important! Don't be results oriented.

[sirpupnyc]

I wasn't considering folding...just wanted to be sure I'd done the right thing. (I was pretty sure, just had that little nagging after-the-fact doubt.) If people didn't make mistakes and draw out sometimes, they'd be less likely to make mistakes and lose...then where would we be?

[TheTimeIsUp]

Wait for a better time? You flopped trips on a nonchalent board. You won't find a better time.

[Punker]

Easy fold. All you needed to do was see the future. Are you really asking this question? I never thought I'd have wished it was a "should I fold AA preflop" question.

[ZBTHorton]

I swear. Pokerroom is full of guys like this.

[mic_check12]

Thinly disguised bad beat post. Yuck

Forgive me but I'm probably one of the few who believe that you did not play the hand correctly.

You got a free look at a flop. Your opponents already demonstrated weakness by limping into the pot instead of trying to push you off it with a steal.

IMHO, trying to trap someone who has already demonstrated weakness is a bad play. You stand a very good chance of having them check and see a free turn which could very well beat you.

IMHO, trying to check raise with likely top hand, but a dangerous flush draw on the board, is a mistake.

You have a chance to increase the size of your stack by 20% by simply going all in.

If you assess the possible hands your opponents could be holding, evaluate their strength versus your hand, it is very likely that you are top hand but at risk to be outdrawn.

IMHO, in your position, you should be trying to take down pots with as few exposed cards as possible. By going all in after the flop, you are basically telling your opponents:
1) I have a made hand.
2) If you want to call, by all means be my guest.
3) I am making the correct play by the FTOP. If you call, then you are making a mistake according to the FTOP.

In closing, you got a free shot at improving your stack by 20% and you let it go by slowplaying instead of forcing your opponents to a decision. IMHO, that was a bad decision.