Should I have pushed my set on the flop instead of slow-playing?

[warnock13]

Final Table 6 players remaining in MTT
fairly tight table
Plyr 1 has 3,800,000 in chips and posts 40,000 SB
Plyr 2 has 2,200,000 and posts 80,000 BB
Plyr 3 (me) has 1,800,000
Plyr 4 has 3,300,000
Plyr 5 has 1,200,000
Plyr 6 has 2,700,000
antes are 4,000

I'm utg with 55
I raise to 240,000
everyone folds except small blind who calls

flop is Ts 5c Ks
SB bets 160,000
I call

Turn is 7d

SB bets 240,000
I raise to 480,000
SB pushes me allin and I call

he turns over trip sevens and wins.

My thinking on the flop was that even though there were flush cards I felt like I needed to slowplay. I'm pretty confident he would have folded to a reraise. When it is coming down to the end game, should I be content on winning a less lucrative pot or should I try to milk it like I did?

[h20man65]

At that stage of the game, I would have pushed in on the flop. Eliminate flush draws and hoping he has a strong K. Bad luck.

[seke2]

No, you got unlucky. You had a very good slowplay opportunity. You flopped a monster against someone who didn't show aggression preflop but was trying to shut you out on the flop. Let him hang his own rope. 90% of the time here, you'll get paid big time.

If I were you, I'd probably have pushed the turn once he bet, by the way, or raised more than you did. It's only a million more chips, and your opponent will be getting something like 2:1 on his call even when you push there.

Don't be results oriented.

[Skjonne]

With a flush and a straight draw (him having QJ is not unlikely), I would have bet this flop. However if I knew he had 77, I would have slowplayed. He hit his 2-outer. Bad luck

[Mi_T_Sharp]

I think you played this hand fine. The only concern I would've had was that he was on a flush draw, and his small bet into the pot on the flop gives him the correct odds to play for his flush. So, if you thought he was on a flush draw, it would be correct to reraise or push him allin on the flop. Of course, there is no way to really know for sure that he is on a draw (he wasn't anyway), and if he was, he probably would've raised a larger amount to try to push you off your hand. In light of this, I think this was a perfect slowplay opportunity. You should've planned on re-raising him or putting him allin on the turn, if he again bet small. You raised, and then he put you allin. There is no way you can really fold here, since the only thing that beats you at this point is a higher set. He probably would've reraised you with 1010 or KK preflop, so you have to think your set is good, unless he does have 77. He could have 2 pair, still have that flush draw, or even a straight draw to go with it at this point as well. You just got unlucky. The only way you could have avoided this was going allin on the flop, but you can't play with the attitude that you want to end hands immediately where you have a monster. You have to take the chance of giving him that one extra cheapish card in order to get some chips out of him. You did this, and got unlucky. Don't worry about it. Also, don't let unfortunate hands like this make you overplay your monster hands in the future so that you don't get maximum value for them.

I had a very similar hand come up in a $22 180 man SnG, when it was 3-handed. I had 3 Kings on the flop, and I slowplayed them. The villian ended up winning the hand on the river. I noticed that I started overplaying big hands towards the end of tourneys for a little while after this, and then I eventually stopped myself from doing it. You have to try not to be results oriented, and just keep making moves like this, even after they backfire on you. Don't let unlucky beats like this discourage you or change your style of play. That's all.

[thisismyback]

I agree with H20. I would have pushed on the flop or at least make a large reraise. I think there is to much at stake to risk letting him draw cheap to a flush. You were unlucky but I just feel your hand, despite it's strength, is still vulnerable especially vs the chip leader.

[seke2]

I think if you push this flop, you're looking for monsters. You're not going to find a much better slowplay spot. This guy called a UTG raise. Even with his stack, is he doing that with a lot of suited connectors? I doubt it. Two broadway, any pair, yeah, probably. But I don't think you can just assume that Villain is on a flush draw here just because there's one on the board. And basically 3/4 of the cards that could come on the turn won't scare you even if he's on a flush draw. I'd be a little more worried about the straight draw, but once again, most turn cards won't scare you.

I think you need to call this flop and let him build the pot a little more before you spring your trap. And even if he makes a flush, you still have full house outs. There are so few ways this hand can go bad for you and so many it can go well.

People who say that you need to reraise on the flop, do you really think that's maximizing the value of this hand? You have a real concealed monster here.

I think it's incredibly results oriented to say that you should have made a move on the flop here. When I make a set, especially on a board like this where the other guy most often has top pair, I'm looking to do more than just increase my stack by 30%.

[h20man65]

Point well taken, but with 750K in the pot I believe putting the pressure on here is correct. Its always better to win a "small" pot than lose a big one.

[RichC.]

I'm definitely putting this guy on a flush draw or straight draw and its going to be very expensive for him to draw to that. I raise to about 480k ~ 720k, or just push. I'm disagreeing with your play but I'm not very happy about it either, given the draws. Dont let draws see cheap turns or rivers IMO. Other than that, you hit some bad luck on the turn, tough break.

[RichC.]

[ QUOTE ]
This guy called a UTG raise. Even with his stack, is he doing that with a lot of suited connectors? I doubt it. Two broadway, any pair, yeah, probably. But I don't think you can just assume that Villain is on a flush draw here just because there's one on the board.
People who say that you need to reraise on the flop, do you really think that's maximizing the value of this hand? You have a real concealed monster here.
I'm looking to do more than just increase my stack by 30%.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here is why i disagree with you. If I'm CL, I'm most certainly calling with suited connectors AK-76, and ANY PP. I may very well have a concealed monster and bust someone and add to my increasing stack.

As the Hero, I am wanting to add chips anyway that I can, you cant win the tournament with 6 players left only 2. So I am ok with adding 30% to my stack now and being patient with more poker still to play.