This is how you know somebody has a set. Be a genius like Daniel Negreanu.
YouTube - Daniel Negreanu reading on Doyle Brunson (High Stakes Poker)
Wait. Wait.
If you watched the preceding High Stakes Poker episodes... you'll see Doyle playing pretty tight. I mean, tight compared to the rest of the table. He's not all loosey goosey like Farha is.
So when Doyle limps in... AND calls a re-raise... I mean... he has some sort of something.
I think, in that video, Daniel floats Doyle's continuation bet because, well, Doyle has a tendency to bet the flop. And if Doyle was bluffing, Daniel would be able to pick up on it on the later streets.
Daniel SAID Doyle had three treys, but he wouldn't have called if he was 100% CERTAIN he had three treys.
And, that hand is a good example of how to play your sets. You flop a set, you bet... you will get play from top pair, top kicker. And you will get play from overpairs...
So when you have AA/KK, you can't be afraid to put some chips in the pot before you see the cards. Always raise. And raise a lot. Because you do have the best hand.
Unfortunately, if I have an overpair against trips, I'm going to have to loose SOMETHING.
Let's say I have KsKh. And villain is sitting across from me with JcJs.
Villain raises, and I re-raise him. If he plays back, I'm coming over-the-top, all-in.
But, let's say I re-raise, and villain just calls...
Flop comes
9c-Jh-10c.
I mean, that's a kind of scary flop for my KK. There's a flush draw out there, there's a big straight draw out there... that's a scary flop. And I don't want to give any free cards- because I have a gutshot straight, and I probably have the best hand. Even if I don't, I can still make it with my straight. So I'm going to bet it. Probably about the size of the pot.
If Villain plays his set fast and re-raises, I MIGHT get out of the way, but I probably could not. It would really depend on the player. I might put him on a hand like Q-J, or even A-J. If Villain re-raised, I'd probably just call. I WOULDN'T move all-in unless I really thought he'd call with Ajax. I mean... this is a real tough poker situation. This is a legit hand. And K-Q is a very possible holding.
Let's say I call his re-raise. Fine. On the next street, I'd check unless I improved (with a Queen). And if Villain showed he was itching to play a big pot... I'd have to fold. You have to be able to release your mediocre hands when your opponents are willing to play huge pots.
But I WOULDN'T put villain on a set. I'd put him on a straight.
Let's say villain checked behind me on the turn. Then there's a serious chance he's drawing... and I'd play it like such from there. He could be holding top pair and a straight draw, top pair and a club draw...
Villain's previous plays would be the deciding factor in a hand like this. My brain hurts just from coming up with the hypothetical situation.
Point is... a set is a very sneaky hand.