Poker Forum

Over 1,246,000 Posts!

Subscribe to FTR web feed
Already Registered?      Username:    Password:   Remember      Forgot Password
  >    > 

Defending Against the Pocket Set

  
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Soothsayer
Old 02-25-2008, 11:58 PM     Post subject: Defending Against the Pocket Set #1 (permalink)  

Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa
Posts: 10
Soothsayer
It seems to happen every multi-table tournament. I'm playing solid poker and am with or above the average stack size deep into the tournament and then WAM it hits me. I'll have two-pair, maybe even top two-pair and am betting strong with an opposing flush or straight no where in sight.......we get to showdown where my opponent will have a pocket pair, making a 3 of a kind set that i didn't see coming. This will most certainly cripple me for the rest of the tournament. Even in ring games, the situation is bound happen and cut down my stack after a few hours of playing.

My question is: How do you defend against such an impending doom? What is there to look for in online games as far as tells for this? You most certainly can't fold every time someone re-raises you at showdown because you're scared of a set.
Reply With Quote
Join the FTR Poker Forum to disable these banners and start posting!
martindcx1e
Old 02-26-2008, 06:50 PM #2 (permalink)  
martindcx1e's Avatar
4-of-a-Kind

Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,614
martindcx1e
When deepstacked don't go broke with one pair, usually. When not deepstacked it is unavoidable.
Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Anyone in the world can write anything they want about any subject. So you know you are getting the best possible information.
 
Reply With Quote
ProZachNation
Old 02-26-2008, 08:23 PM #3 (permalink)  
ProZachNation's Avatar
Full House

Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Over there!
Posts: 801
ProZachNation
Reads. Having good reads on a player will help you on later streets. If they have been reraising river a lot that you might have em beat and might be a good time to get it in. If you have not seen them make this play before then may have to give it up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrhappy333
I didn't think its Bold to bang some chick with my bro. but i guess so... thats +EV in my book.
 
Reply With Quote
bode
Old 02-26-2008, 08:56 PM #4 (permalink)  
bode's Avatar
Straight Flush

Join Date: May 2006
Location: slow motion
Posts: 4,270
bode is an unknown quantity at this point
Send a message via Skype™ to bode
[x] pocket set

sorry, i had to.
Quote:
eeevees are not monies yet...they are like baby monies.
 
Reply With Quote
martindcx1e
Old 02-26-2008, 11:40 PM #5 (permalink)  
martindcx1e's Avatar
4-of-a-Kind

Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,614
martindcx1e
Quote:
Originally Posted by bode
[x] pocket set

sorry, i had to.
i need to practice my pocket sets
Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Anyone in the world can write anything they want about any subject. So you know you are getting the best possible information.
 
Reply With Quote
Robb
Old 02-28-2008, 01:30 PM #6 (permalink)  
4-of-a-Kind

Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,072
Robb is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by ProZachNation
Reads. Having good reads on a player will help you on later streets. If they have been reraising river a lot that you might have em beat and might be a good time to get it in. If you have not seen them make this play before then may have to give it up.
I'm generally willing (NL10 6max 100BB stack) to stack off with TPTK or two pair hands. I'm generally unwilling to do so whenever I bet preflop and flop aggressively, and...

1. Passive villains wake up and bet turn or raise/rr flop.
2. Villains with weak-tight postflop play wake up and bet turn or raise/rr flop.
3. Agro villains who played passively preflop and flop suddenly wake up on turn (if they fire on the flop, I'm generally not respecting it, depending on other reads, but two streets of passive play from someone with AF ~ 6 starts to worry me on the turn).

That's about as specific as I can be. You just have to learn when you're beat and deny the old "curiosity call" click-impulse. Heck, about a third of the time they'll show the cards anyway, so why pay to see?
 
Reply With Quote
riverturnflop
Old 03-02-2008, 03:18 PM #7 (permalink)  
Guest

Posts: n/a
There's nothing much you can do about it and chalk it up as a cooler if you have two pairs.
Reply With Quote
dev
Old 03-02-2008, 08:45 PM #8 (permalink)  
dev's Avatar
4-of-a-Kind

Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: swonging and swonging
Posts: 1,550
dev
Send a message via AIM to dev Send a message via MSN to dev Send a message via Yahoo to dev
We actually call 88 pocket set where I'm from, and there's no defense against it.

late in tourneys, if someone hits a set on your over-pair, you just go broke, that's the way it is.

If you could post some specific hands, we can help you A LOT more.
Check out my self-deprecation here!
 
Reply With Quote
Robb
Old 03-02-2008, 09:06 PM #9 (permalink)  
4-of-a-Kind

Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,072
Robb is an unknown quantity at this point
At FTR, I think accepted usage is "set" means a pp with the third 3-of-a-kind card on the board, while "trips" means unpaired cards in the hole one of which matches a pair on the board. The set is preferable most times since it's more deceptive (typically).
 
Reply With Quote
Reply
Latest Poker News
KoRnholio Old 05-26-2012, 03:08 PM    Australia Legalized Online Poker coming up in next 6 to 12 Months
According to an email sent out by Mark Bryan, a gaming analyst at Merrill Lynch, the Australian government plans to legalize online poker sometime in the next six to 12 months. This move will coincide ...

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT. The time now is 08:11 PM.


FTR Testimonials

All content
© FlopTurnRiver.com
Advertising  |   Partners  |   Testimonials  |   T&C  |   Contact Us  |   FTR News & Press  |   Site Map  |   Search FTR

Full Tilt  |   Titan Poker  |   UltimateBet  |   Poker Stars  |   Ladbrokes Bonus  |   Sportsbook  |   Cake Poker  

Play Texas Holdem Online, Online Texas Holdem Strategy, & Poker Forum
This is not a gambling website.