55 with flopped set

[dana33]

Coming from a limit background, I am finding that one of the biggest adjustments to NL is the need to pay attention to my own stack size when betting -- so that if I'm going to be pot committed anyway, I might want to move in.

In this hand, with the possible flush and straight draws, and given the small size of my stack, should I have just moved in on the flop?

A related question: how small should I let my stack get before I rebuy to bring it back to the full $25 buyin?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (10 handed) converter

Button ($30.2)
Hero ($12)
BB ($22.75)
UTG ($24)
UTG+1 ($43.2)
UTG+2 ($100.4)
MP1 ($25.1)
MP2 ($37.25)
MP3 ($25)
CO ($33)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Hero posts a blind of $0.25.
<font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 raises to $2</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, CO calls $2, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Hero (poster) calls $1.75, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>.

Flop: ($6.50) 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $4</font>, MP2 calls $4, CO folds.

Turn: ($14.50) 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $6 (all-in)</font>, MP2 calls $6.

River: ($26.50) 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>

Final Pot: $20.50

[tbach24]

1. 20 I think
2. Fold pre-flop
3. Pushing this flop is fine

You fold pre-flop because you don't have implied odds.

[PoBoy321]

Personally, I generally reload if I get down to less than 80% of the buy-in. Sometimes, though, if I take a big hit and end up down to like 30-40%, I'll just start playing a little wild and move in with any A, any PP or 2 big cards, just to gamble a little bit.

As for this hand, fold pre-flop. You don't have the implied odds to hit a set. If you think that you're ahead pre-flop, just push.

[Kaz The Original]

You are losing alot of money here preflop.

[Kaz The Original]

As for pushing preflop, which isn't that bad, depends more on your folding equity than whether you are ahead or not, as you are almost certainly a slight favourite (most cases) or huge underdog.

[dana33]

Thanks for the feedback.

[ QUOTE ]
You fold pre-flop because you don't have implied odds.

[/ QUOTE ]
In NL, how do I assess my implied odds? Is it by comparing the size of the bet I need to call to my or my opponent's stack size (whichever is smaller)? Offhand, it seems this would overstate them, because I can't necessarily assume that an all-in would be called. Instead, do I try to guess how much I could extract if I hit my hand? If so, how do I go about doing this?

[istewart]

It's really a huge guesstimate, but you shouldn't be calling off more than 5-10 (max)% of your stack in hopes of flopping a set.

[Kaz The Original]

With pocket pairs, a good rule of thumb is not to put in more than 5% of your, or your opponent's stack, whichever is less. The most you want to put in is 10%. How do you decide when it is inbetween? Both the size of the pair, and the other money in the pot (from other opponents) will help you decide.

[PoBoy321]

I usually don't like calling off more than 5-10% of my stack with a low pocket pair. However, I have gotten into a new way of thinking with regards to low pocket pairs. I might start a new thread about this, but more important than my implied odds, I look at my position and the previous pre-flop action. Since your big payoffs with low PPs come when you hit a set against an overpair and get paid off big, I'm more likely to call a raise from late position than to limp from early position. The other advantage to playing them in position is that when your hand is the best pre-flop, you can have a better idea of when it's best post-flop.

EDIT: Oh just since I haven't seen this specifically mentione, the reason for calling off 5-10% of your stack in hopes of flopping a set is because since you're ~10% to flop a set, you need to be able to make 9x your money in order for your implied odds to be correct. By calling 10%, this leaves you with 9:1 left behind in your stack which, if you can get it all in, gives you proper implied odds to call.

[TheWorstPlayer]

[ QUOTE ]
A related question: how small should I let my stack get before I rebuy to bring it back to the full $25 buyin?


[/ QUOTE ]
I rebuy after I pay the small blind. Why wait?