The only situation where I can get away from set over set, would be a situation when I make a preflop raise, someone in the blinds makes a re-raise that screams a big pair, and then he check-raises me on the flop on say an AK6 flop when I have 66.

Aside from that, I'm going broke every time because I always play my strong hands, like top two or a set very strong on the flop.

While I'm inclinded to agree that top 2 pair is often a situation where you're just going to lose against a flopped set, I was thinking this hand might give you the chance to get away especially if the stacks were a bit deeper. With how uncoordinated the board is (only a st8 draw possible) one would nearly have to put the opponent on 2 pair or a set given his willingness to get into a raising war. Then you're only beating Q5 and 57 with the likelihood of Q5 somewhat slim UTG. While there is 3 set possibilities beating you; given QQ somewhat unlikely. But say if the board had 2 hearts on it (such as 5h & 7h), there's also a decent chance you're up against someone w/ say top pair and a redraw to the nut flush or a draw to both a flush and st8. Any thoughts?

Jack... I think if the board would've been more coordinated (ie... flush draw, straight draw...) I think I could've gotten away from it easier. The thng that stuck me to the hand is exactly that it flopped crap. No one in their right mind would play most combinations of this flop. Looking back on it now, I can see how he probably had a set, but in the heat of the moment, I was thinking TPTK. He didn't raise preflop, so I was assuming an overpair was out. He bet $2, I raised thinking I'd chase, after he reraised $20 I was sure he had AQ and was smiling ear to ear waiting till he saw how bad I suckered him when I made the BIG reraise... by the time he re-re-re-re-raised me all-in, I was already pot committed and basically screwed. The thing is that at this level, I've seen plenty of people go all-in w/ TPTK and MUCH MUCH worse (the new "thing" seems to be going in w/ 88 with 2 overcards on the board)... If he would've raised me all-in when he raised $20, I might have seen the error of my ways a little earlier... As it is, Bank of America just called and asked if I want an ATM installed in my family room...

Anyone who thinks its easy to put him on a set here is vastly underestimating the liklihood he just has an overpair.

With top 2 and set over set. I am usually willing to lose my stack, unless I have a great read on my opponant or I made two pair on a scary board. Obviously if I limp with QJ and the flop is [10s], I am very willing to get away from the hand. The way I figure it I would lose more value folding my hands when I had a set or top 2, than I would lose when some had a bigger set than mine or a set vs my top 2.