bad idea to slow play bottom set?

03-26-2004, 09:26 PM

Post Number: 1 (Link This Post)

Report this post!

overthetop_jeff

Newbie

Join Date: Mar 2004

Posts: 2

Shouts:

Credits: 10

bad idea to slow play bottom set?

i was wondering what everyone thought about slowplaying bottom set. i was playing at partypoker when i had 44 in early position and threw in a decent size raise of $5 ($1/$2 NL game). two people called me. the flop came k k 4. i checked and the next player to act bet $3 and the player behind him called. i smooth called only to have another k hit on the turn. i checked and the first player bet $15 and the player behind him raised all in to $40. i laid down my hand here.

everytime i try to slow play bottom set i either get out drawn or i take down a huge pot, with the first the more frequent. are there any good strategies to playing bottom set?

03-26-2004, 10:13 PM

Post Number: 2 (Link This Post)

Report this post!

Pair

Join Date: Jul 2003

Posts: 42

Shouts:

Credits: 60

Same thing happens with me. Last night, I was playing 1-2 NL at the casino, and had pocket 4's in early position. I called and had about 3 other people in the hand. Flop came 3c,4d,kh. I checked, and so did everyone else. Next card was a 2d. I bet 5, it got raised to 15 and I called. Last card was a 5d. I checked, next guy goes all in, another guy calls, and I have to lay down my hand. Turned out the guy had ace,5 to give him a straight on the turn.

Last week I was playing same stakes, when I had pocket 6's, and the flop was 2d,6h,Jc. Everyone checked to me, and I checked also. Next card was an ace of spades. First guy checked, next guy bet 11, I made it 22, they both call. Last card is a king. They both check, I get one caller. Showdown, my trip 6's hold up against ace, queen.

Anyway, I don't think there was much you can do with that hand. Even if you did play it fast and went all in on the flop, no one would lay down trip kings. I like to slow roll big hands when it seems like I can't be drawn out, so I can try to induce other people into making a hand. So my strategy would be to just play them fast only if you think they can be outdrawn, and slow roll otherwise.

__________________
I check.

03-27-2004, 12:27 AM

Post Number: 3 (Link This Post)

Report this post!

thatpfunk

Pair

Join Date: Oct 2003

Posts: 41

Shouts:

Credits: 10

Why in the world would you raise in EP with 44? I think you should worry about that first and foremost.

__________________
why call when you can raise?

03-27-2004, 12:32 AM

Post Number: 4 (Link This Post)

Report this post!

thatpfunk

Pair

Join Date: Oct 2003

Posts: 41

Shouts:

Credits: 10

Sorry if I sounded harsh I thought you were CK... I would say you don't always slow play a set, you play however you think that you can get the most of your opponents money into the pot... If that is slow playing, that works fine. Obviously, more likely than not KKK will not be on the board. That is a dream flop for you with KK4 for these reasons- If you lead out, instead of slow playing someone with AK or QK will play back at you and you can put them all in... You are the favorite and thats when you want all your chips in... but please, dont raise 44 in EP for about 1000 reasons.

__________________
why call when you can raise?

05-28-2004, 03:37 PM

Post Number: 5 (Link This Post)

Report this post!

MinneJohnny

Pair

Join Date: May 2004

Posts: 35

Shouts:

Credits: 10

bottom set and no raise?

I always raise especially if the board has already paired higher than my set. You find a good read because trip kings ALWAYS raises you back to find out where you are unless you are in an especially tough low limit game and even then you can pick up a tell with the way the caller brings out his chips. If you can put him on trip kings you can realize on the next king that you no longer have a set but instead kings full of fours and any pocket pair above 4 or anyone who paired the board has beat you.
Small pocket pairs are notoriously hard to play in EP and can get you into trouble because it makes the job of reading your opponents exponentially tougher and you usually HAVE to guess especially if any of your opponents are decent. Ideally with pocket 4's and getting a set on the flop you want the board to be KQ4 instead of KK4 and you should always ask yourself "what are the nuts and what can beat my hand?" and see if you can put your opponents on those hands by replaying how they bet during each round. And always realize when your 4's full become x's full of 4's (where x is any higher trip).
Lastly, when you get outdrawn you should not fret because you WANT your opponents to be taking those chances against you. When you flopped the full house and your opponent had trip king's you are way out in front and if your oppenent continues to play those situations against you they will give you their money. Remember he had only 5 outs of the 47 unknown cards to him and he hit. If he can't read you for strength in the smooth call then he will continue to bet when you have a strong hand and you will win in the long run because he will catch his miracles less often. This is just a case of selective memory as the losses always get burned into your head and you gloss past your wins especially if everyone folds. Who wants to remember the time they flopped 4-of a kind with pocket twos and everyone folds on the turn?
Good luck,
MinneJohnny

Sponsored Link - Register now and become a THF member and this ad will be removed!

bad idea to slow play bottom set?

Playing Live