I know there is a no strategy rule in BBV, but this is going to revolutionize NLHE.
As I'm playing 50NL, I've been thinking about different leaks in my game, strategies, and patterns I've picked up. I've thought a lot about the value of sets and I think I fould a glaring hole in my play. Look at the examples below before you read my new strategy: Top Set Mining (TSM)
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1066223
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1072375
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1073304
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1072372
Playing anything other than top set is just not profitable. Even having top set isn't always profitable:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1072283
So, I've come up with a new strategy for playing my pocket pairs. It's called Top Set Mining (TSM). It goes like this:
22, 33: Dump this like 98% of the time - you will never have Top Set with this hand. Sometimes call for quad value if you are deep enough. There is always a chance that villain might draw to overquads, but that's just a standard cooler if it happens - you can't worry about overquads when you have quads.
44, 55: Marginal (dump it like 80% of the time), since the only board that gives you top set is 234, 235, or 245 and that's very connected for straights.
66: Play it carefully on a 236 board. Hope the board pair or villain could have 45 and stack you. Board pairing is a hidden blessing - what if villain just got quads? The 4th 6 is the gin card we are looking for. Blocker bet all the way down and unless another 6 hits, just check/call river. If you hit quads, value bet.
77-JJ. Proceed with caution when you hit your set. It's very likely the board will contain an overcard. Be sure to blocker bet to control the size of the pot.
QQ-AA. These are great hands for TSM because when you hit your set it will often be the top set. Be sure to check and trap the villain into betting.
You are probably waaaay ahead, so checking also allows the villain to catch up (LOL 2 pair! You have a set and are trapping them!) so that you can stack them.
Here is an example of the correct way to play AA:
http://www.pokerhand.org/?1068207
As you can see, villain raised pre-flop (correctly!) with AA and then controlled the size of the pot after not hitting top set. Well played!
Summary: Follow the advice above and you won't get coolered or stacked with your sets.
And yes, I'll coach you at 10NL and 25NL.