Flopping a "Set" is one of the great moments in a poker session. Ahhhh…the possibilities. High are the memories.
When I flop a Set, I immediately think about the end game to which is to bust an opponent on a single hand.
Before the discussion begins, one must define a “Set” and there are some key differences between flopping a “Set” and “flopping trips.” We see this mistake with some TV commentators who fail to differentiate between the two. I’ve heard both Vince Van Patten as well as Lon McCarren call “trips” a “Set”.
Since they commentate in the editing booth (knowing all the outcomes), it surprises me that no won in the poker world has corrected them. I’ve also heard this distinction a couple of times among my fellow disciples as well as on the actual felt when I’m playing in casinos across the universe. Maybe we just enjoy saying “I flopped a Set man!”. I know I do.
A Set is three-of-a-kind with you holding a pocket pair. It’s TWO in your hand with ONE on the board. For a particular card rank, only ONE person can flop a Set of Jacks for example. Two people can’t flop a Set of Jacks in the same hand. However two people can flop trips if there are TWO LIKE CARDS on the board with two people holding the remaining two Jacks in their respective hands. The bottom line is that you play a Set differently versus trips even though the two hands have the same rank in terms of value, because they are both three of a kind.
Sometimes, you never see the Set coming when your blinded by your own great hand you think your holding. The Set is in play at all times. It can be a logical outcome in all instances. When you feel that your holding is beat, it could because the other player has a Set.
With trips, you have two like cards on the board, and there are more distinct “outward appearances” because you can see that the board has a pair on it. A great Set to flop is low or middle pair with some high cards on the board. Lets say the board is showing 4, 9, K with you holding “Reggie Jackson” or 44. Let’s also say there was a modest pre-flop raise and the board comes up Rainbow.
These are the types of situations where you are dominating a hand like AK when you’re holding a set of 444s. This is how you bust people. However, when there are trips in the form of a pair on the board, you have to worry about being out kicked, or another guy holding a Set, because his set would become a full house because the board has paired already!
When you flop a Set, you must look at texture. Sometimes, you lose with a Set and as you know, that hurts. If the board is threatening, you must protect your hand and when you feel you’ve been beat, you must lay down the hand.
How many sets can you flop in an evening? Well, Johnnnno flopped five recently in a single session, and four of them delivered while one got cracked. Johnnnno actually layed down a Set against Megakeff63 who had a threatening straight (4 cards on the board) and Johnnnno was facing a very large bet.
A Set needs to be nurtured for maximum value. You need to stay cool. You also need to root for the "Board to Pair." Then your set morphs into a full-house or in some rare occassions, QUADS.
With trips, there’s a heightened sense of “board awareness”. People are on the lookout for trips. People underestimate the fact that the Set is in play. If being dealt a wired pair is 10:1 and achieving a Set is another 8:1, you have to multiply the two somehow to come up with the odds of making a Set.
I’m not a statistician and I don’t play one on television, but I can assure you that making your Set happens on only a few occasions during a session and you must maximize these hands in order to come out ahead in the game. And in some cases, you send people to the rail.
The Chief is done bloviating.
No comments:
Post a Comment