Jun 25 2010

Set Mining and Trapping

written by: John under Poker Strategy Comments: Comments Off

Set mining is one of the easiest ways to stack your opponents in a NLHE cash game. There are good times and ways to set mine, but there are also some terrible ways to set mine. For example, set mining with awful implied odds is a recipe for disaster. In fact, implied odds are at the core of most set mining expeditions. With that said, there are also many situations where set mining is quite cheap.

When you miss a set in a small pot, it usually means that you saved money, but it also means that you weren’t likely to make much money. This is the problem with set mining in small pots. If you happen to connect with the board, the only way you are going to get paid off is if your opponent also happens to have a huge hand. There are few spots where a set is going to stack an over pair in a limped or single raised pot. Re raised pre flop would indicate larger hands, but they also make it that much more expensive to set mine. Always balance the pros and cons of set mining in any given hand.

No-Limit Hold’em, $1.00 BB (6 handed) @ Party Poker

UTG ($100)

Hero (MP) ($214.10)

CO ($126.60)

Button ($100)

SB ($152.60)

BB ($153.50)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 6d, 6h

UTG bets $3, Hero calls $3, 1 fold, Button calls $3, 2 folds

Pre flop we are dealt a small pocket pair. 6s are a decent hand, but they are nothing to write home about. As a result, we elect to call the open raise from the UTG player. If all goes according to plan, the other players in the hand will either fold or call the original raise. Since we only have position on one player, a re raise almost always forces us to fold. The other players do fold/call, and we head to the flop.

Flop: ($10.50) 6c, 8h, Ac (3 players)

UTG bets $6, Hero calls $6, Button raises to $18, UTG calls $12, Hero raises to $211.10 (All-In), Button calls $79 (All-In), 1 fold

The flop is about as perfect as possible. Aside from some draws, there is little on the board to scare us. If we happen to run into a higher set, there is nothing we can do about it. In this hand, we can call the UTG’s lead bet, mainly because the UTG player also opened pre flop. There is a good chance that they missed the flop or have an ace, but it is unlikely that they are holding a big draw.

Once the button raises, we need to make a move. There is a decent amount of money in the pot, and there are some definite draws available. We shove, get called, and fade out opponent’s flush draw.

Turn: ($222.50) 7s (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($222.50) Kh (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $222.50 | Rake: $3

Results:

Button had Jc, 10c (high card, Ace).

Hero had 6d, 6h (three of a kind, sixes).

Outcome: Hero won $219.50

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