How to play against limpers who have big pairs

I've been reading the forums for some time now, but haven't
posted until now.
Full Tilt $5 sng 6 players remaining.
I've got roughly 1000 in chips and the blinds are 50/100.
Several limpers, i look down at 55 in the SB. I make a pot
sized raise the BB mucks , the villian utg calls, the rest
fold. Flop is Q 5 X. I make a pot sized raise w/ my set
(2 to a flush). Villian simply calls. The turn is a blank,
so i push all in, quick call. He shows pocket QQ and takes
the pot w/ top set. What could i have done different? The
more i play the more i see these big pairs limping. How do
you pick up on this? Im finding it very hard to take, because im seeing it more and more. any input appreciated

[ajmargarine]

Oops...this should be in the sit n go forum. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[pinehead]

Old poker adage: Beware the limper!
New poker adage: Even a limper has position on the blinds!!

I do not like your raise with a small pair in the SB. If you need to make a move (e.g. because you are short stacked) then go all in. Otherwise, you have to flop a set, and as you saw, that's no guarantee. Of course, in this hand, you will lose all your chips either way.

Imagine your raise called by 2 players! Say a middle pair, 88, and AQs (big stack) or something similar. You are out of position and unless you flop a set or can bluff off the other players (e.g. flop = K97) you are toast. And you would need a bigger stack to scare them off. You really want to move in or see the flop cheaply.

so which is worse my raise or his limp/call

[pinehead]

Well, certainly your raise! It was not enough to shake him off his hand. In other words, he limped and barring action that would lead him to believe he was against KK or AA, he was able to get a worse hand to put more money in the pot and out of position. He probably wanted to see a flop without AK.

[kevin017]

it is smart to limp big pairs in short handed situations, especially if people are being aggressive and you can count on a raiser after you. aka you. call or push preflop with small pp.

to combat a set over set, you can do nothing. combatting a limped high pocket is difficult also. you almost have to assume they don't have it. all you can do is try to get a read on how that player usually plays and see if you notice him playing anything weird where he's calling big bets.