How to know when u are up against a set??

PawnStar

How to know when u are up against a set ??

jugglegeek

Sets are probably the hardest thing in poker to spot.

Looking at the board is no way to spot it since any one card can give them a set. The thing to do is work out how your opponents plays small or middle pocket pairs. The line usually taken is a small open raise pre flop and then they give up on the turn, or they will limp in early possition and flat call a raise. It's harder if they have possition on you pre-flop since they can just flat and give you no information, they could have suited connectors or a reasonable ace if they do this.

A standard line if they have possition with a set would be to flat call the flop and then re-raise the turn on a dry flop eg (Q73 rainbow) if there are draws on the flop then they would re-raise your continuation bet on the flop.

In general if you can't work out why they are playing the hand so agressive then don't rule out a set. But most times if you have top pair, top kicker and they have a set you are going broke.

I'll give an example of a hand I played against a regular live opponent who I know well but respect as a solid player. I have JdJh and raise 3x from the cut-off. He calls and the flop is 5c6d9h I have likely got the best hand here but it's vulnerable to overcards so I bet 2/3 pot. He re-raises all in which is around 3.5x my orrigional bet. I'm losing to AA,KK,QQ,55,66,99 and 78. I can rule out QQ+ since this player would have definatly 3-bet me pre, 78 is unlikely since this player is tight agressive and doesn't have the sort of stack to call with a poor hand like 78. It has to be a set so I fold and he shows 99.

Without solid reads or deep stacks it is very difficult to spot a set

simonnatur

If you play against a lot of solid regulars you often see the check/call flop, min-raise turn, betting pattern on dry boards as they try to massage the pot to get all the money in on river. ie they are terrified of losing their customer. It can be a real giveaway.

If the flop is wet  ie flushing or straightening and you don't have a good read on the player, things get a lot trickier. You have to try and decide if they are semi bluffing or shoving for value and to protect their hand.

AMYBR

Sets are always going to be the trojan horse of poker.

All you can do is twig in the odd betting patterns with reads and perhaps exercise some pot control if you believe you have showdown value.  But if your strong vs the set its always hard to not lose the maximum, but theres not really alot wrong with that.

cleaverjim

It should be how to win on a set! In the last few days ive had 7 sets on 15/30 or 25/50 .Four i flopped and betted strong as flush draw was out but got rivered on all 4 and priced them out to call but they did,Then tonight i hit 2 sets on turn only to lose on river to higher sets.Im sure im playing them well and even sometimes price callers out of action but they call and hit.I think its time to have a month off and recharge for october.