Why do so many players slow play trips at micro limits

[PocketPaul]

The following hand is the one which made me ask the subject question:

Planet Poker .25 .50 9 handed very loose very passive.

I pick up 6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] in BB.

7 limpers to me (told you it was loose passive!) and I check.

Flop: 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

With only 2 outs I check planning to fold but am delighted to see it get checked round.

Free Card time - and the turn brings the wonderful 6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

I bet and get 3 callers

River:4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

I bet and get 2 callers.

SB shows A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
UTG shows A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

OK - UTG is a complete fish and mis-played every street, but his fatal mistake was not betting on the flop, which gave me a free card I was not entitled to.

I notice it time after time that people who flop trips (sets) do not bet on the flop, but wait until the turn to start betting/raising.

In micro limit games with so many callers trips are so vulnerable to straight/flush draws that I just cannot see any situation where it is correct to slow play them. In the example hand the trips could easily have lost to a diamond flush and that is on a rainbow flop. Also with so many calling stations at these levels, you usually end up winning more by betting on every round. The slow play does not even have any deceptive value as everyone seems to do it.

So I have 2 questions.

1. Is it ever correct to slow play trips or sets in a loose passive micro-limit game when several players have seen the flop?

2. Why do so many players slow play these hands?

Looking forward to hearing your views.

[ramjam]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
1. Is it ever correct to slow play trips or sets in a loose passive micro-limit game when several players have seen the flop?


[/ QUOTE ]

Few to the flop, pot is currently small, good chance that others will bet your hand for you as they are aggressive and/or are likely to have a second best hand they'll push (eg. flop is Q44) but fold to early aggression, no straight or flush draws, you have already bet trips hard from the start and shown them down. If you haven't already done so read the section on slowplaying in TOP which lists out the various criteria to consider.

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
2. Why do so many players slow play these hands?


[/ QUOTE ]

Because they haven't thought about it as deeply as you. One of the funniest things I see is the semi-maniacs who slow play them when their overall loose-aggressive approach means that nobody is readily going to believe that they have them if they do bet and they would be highly likely to get paid off if they did.

[thirddan]

I would almost never slowplay trips with so many players as you are sure to get some action. If the field was smaller and i flopped 3kings this is a prime example of when i would wait for the turn. With no straight/flush draw in not too worried about the next card, but that is with a field much smaller. With so many players people will call this flop with as little as A high or backdoor draws, so i gonna bet this flop.

At this limit players like to be tricky when they shouldnt. They don't understand that checking here gives free cards so that players can get draws on the turn and hit them on the river. They don't think, "hey, im playing with a bunch of fish that are gonna call anyway so i might as well bet." My advice is this...write down UTGs name and play at his table as much as possible

[josie_wales]

I used to slow play a set/trips more often, by quickly learned to pay em fast. There are a few cases in which i might slow play em.

For example, I flop a nut set (on an uncoordinated board)and am bet into with several players behind me I will smooth call to build the pot. Then depending on the river card, raise the turn, unless I feel that I can get more into the pot by enticing others behind me to call.

For example if I think that 2 of the people behind me will call if I call.

This sound ok?

[ProfLupin]

Party Poker 2/4 (10 handed)
ProfLupin has 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and is SB

EP1 limps, EP2 limps, MP1 limps, CO limps, Button folds, ProfLupin limps, BB checks

Flop(6 SB): 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

ProfLupin bets, BB calls, EP1 calls, EP2 calls, MP1 calls, CO calls

Turn(6 BB): A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

ProfLupin bets, BB folds, EP1 calls, EP2 calls, MP1 folds, CO folds

River(9 BB): K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

ProfLupin bets, EP1 raises, EP2 folds, ProfLupin 3-bets, EP1 calls

EP1 shows me his AK as I stack his (and all the other callers) chips

[csuf_gambler]

dont be so quick to judge others. there are some instances in which slow playing trips is correct, and in that hand he was correct in doing so. the flop is rainbow so not much chance of a flush, no connectors which means not much chance of straight. u simply got lucky by hitting your 6. but UTG should of defintily raised preflop. and raised the turn.

[RustedCorpse]

On this note whenever I sit at a table in micro limits there is almost always a better or someone who raises pre flop. If there is a raise pre flop or a high card on the board and I'm in EP I'll check hoping for the check raise.
Am I wrong in doing this? I rarely see a free card allowed in micro limits is my play correct if I'm pretty sure there will be a bet?

[schilling38]

<font color="red">**Terminology Question**</font>

Please define the following terms:

EP1
EP2
MP1
CO [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

sorry - I know I'm a newbie, but your help is appreciated

[ramjam]

I don't think there's as much pre-flop raising at microlimits as other levels but that's by the by.

I will generally open the betting on the flop, especially if there's a crowd between me and the pre-flop raiser who can be trapped for at least one bet. I usually bet into a pre-flop raiser if I have top pair or a big draw - so it's just an extension of that. The good thing about betting on the flop with trips is because most people slowplay them, they assume you don't have them. Check-raising risks having it checked through and, if you do get to do it, may demonstrate a scary amount of strength before many players have been forced to put any more money in the pot if the likely raiser is in LP. If the likely raiser is directly on your left, it may be best to check because if he raises you he may force out players who have little or no chance of winning the hand who you would like to call at least one bet. If you are raised, you can always just call the raise and go for a check-raise on the turn if that looks like the most profitable course. When you have a big hand on the flop, I think it's usually better to bet out and hope you're raised so that you get the chance to 3-bet or go for a check-raise on the turn.

[trillig]

A to #1: I'll go with NO, there are obvious flops where caution is needed, like a 3 flush, 3 SF, or 3 straight is flopped and you get trips, but otherwise, hammer away.

A to #2: Bad players at micro limits.... that is why they are there.

I thank them!

About 4 months or so ago on PS:

I had gotten my measly bankroll to $3 and recovered to $25 via them... and entered a $10 tourney and took 3rd for $182! 8)

-t