Set on a suited flop

[feroder_zb]

It is early on as you can see, no reads on villain. I usually limp mid/low pockets this early on, especially with so many limpers already, is that correct? I know that my flop bet was too big and the push probably a disaster, but how do I play these hands? I'm a new poster, by the way, so any feedback would be great, thanks.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (8 handed) converter

Hero (t1480)
BB (t1950)
UTG (t2020)
UTG+1 (t2290)
MP1 (t1370)
MP2 (t1320)
CO (t1690)
Button (t1380)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP1 calls t20, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises to t80</font>, Hero calls t70, BB calls t60, MP1 calls t60.

Flop: (t320) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t320</font>, <font color="#CC3333">BB raises to t640</font>, MP1 folds, Button folds, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t1400</font>, BB calls t760.

[HedonismBot]

He may have a flush, he may not. If does not have a flush you are a good sized favorite to win. If he does have a flush (which I think is probly around 25% of the time) you are still almost 1/3 to win. Because he flat called the raise preflop he almost definately doesn't have AA so you can be quite sure your full boat outs are good. Getting it all in on the flop is the best play in my opinion. It wouldn't hurt knowing the buy in but I think you play this hand pretty much the same regardless, except you can be much more confident of your hand at the $50 and under.

[KPL]

This looks fine to me. You may be losing to BB with Ax where x=heart of some kind. If he has a made flush already, you still have som outs (ie cathing a boat/quads). I would go broke with this hand.

Regarding limping with low/medium pairs in level one and two, I thinkt this is fine, but I usually just fold the lowest pairs in EP if there's much preflop raising. I have some problems with JJ. Sometimes I limp for set values, but I raise it sometimes too. Pairs lost their value, if you're up against few players, and these are weak/thight, as you may not get enough action when flopping a set.

[Rick Nebiolo]

Limping early with small to medium pairs when the blinds are small is the default play.

Why do you "know" the flop bet is too big? You bet the pot with a set on a suited board. You want medium big singleton heart flush cards out, perhaps calling for a slight overbet if anything. The top (or maybe top two) singleton hearts will call, but they aren't always out there. If they are you need to make them pay a price.

On the flop you were raised the minimum. What are hands your opponent could have?

- Small heart flush - possible but not likely, that hand usually pushes here because he wants bigger hearts out.

- Nut heart flush - possible, but still not likely. They usually call hoping to get some action behind.

- Second or third nut flush. More likely than the above flushes, but not by a lot.

In any event a made flush is only going to win 66% of the time against a set.


- Bigger set - no chance, he didn't reraise BTF.

- Smaller set - possible, obviously good for you. Your reraise won't lose him.

- Singleton heart draw (e.g., Qh Js) trying to get too looks at his draw (if you check the turn) or win right there or get out cheaply against a big reraise - this is very possible

- Two pair - all combinations are reasonable. Your set is a huge favorite.

I like the preflop push. If you wait the missed heart draws may not call the big turn push (and you want them to, they don't have a price). You probably get action from A8 and maybe even 87. And even if you are against a flush, you will win over 1/3 of the time.

~ Rick

[JMills109]

Flop push looks fine, the percentage of the time you run into a made flush, just take solace in the fact that youll hit the FH that 33% of the time like you said.