I flopped a set? Its about time.

[iceman5]

$2/$4 NL 6max. Since coming back from my break, Ive flopped 4 sets out of 120 pocket pairs. Thats very low. To make it worse, I lost 2 of those. So Im due

I raised a limper to $20 with TT from BB and the flop was ATx. I bet every street and got him and his $200 stack all in with his mighty A9s.

Very next hand. The guy I just busted is not involved.

MP limps, Button raises to $16. I call in the SB with [2d]. Limper calls also. Effective stacks are about $600

Pot $50. Flop [Ts][2c]. I lead for $34. They BOTH call.

Pot $152. Turn I check because I just cant believe one of these guys isnt going to bet and I think I can get more money in this way, especialyl if the limper bets and button calls or raises.

So I check, MP limper bets $75. Button folds and I check raise to $225. Most 2/4 players raise AJ and higher. He could have AT in which case we may get all in no matter what I do. If he has a smaller kicker, I cant imagine hes gonna call me down on all 3 streets of I just keep betting. Remember that he also just saw me bet every street with a set of tens on the previous hand.

I wouldve liked this play better if the button wouldve called, but........thoughts?

[Twelver]

[shobute]

[iceman5]

Although conventional wisdom is to not check raise with your really strong hands because it gives the strength away, I find that it serves 2 purposes

1) People at $2/$4 and above will bet when you check to them way too often. Alot of the hands they will bet with if you check, they wouldve folded if you fired again on the turn. For example, when they float the flop ina raised pot with nothing. So when you check raise the turn, you get more money out of them. I guess this is why some high stakes players check raise the turn with a draw....but i dont like that line unless the villain is either very weak tight or is generally solid and knows how to fold.

2) More importantly....people really HATE to get check raised and doing something to people that they hate is almost always a good idea in poker. When you piss people off in poker, they make mistakes like this fool who reraised all in to $600 wth A9