Interesting quandary with 55

I'm throwing in a PFR with these little pairs from time to time, as a mixup and (theoretically) to improve the chances of getting paid when the set hits.

Noble Poker, so no good HH, but here we go:
me:

$50NL full ring
I'm about MP3. MP1 limps. I go to 4BB. Big blind and limper call

Flop:
:Ts:

BB check, MP1 check, I bet $2 into $6. BB calls, MP1 folds

Turn
here's the interesting bit: BB only has $4 left. Heshe doesn't seem to have connected, but I've seen some tricky plays at this table. I check behind.

River
BB checks.

Having checked the turn, I think the right play here is to check behind again. Opp won't call off w/o a pair, and pretty much any pair beats me. But I feel like the turn check-behind was bad.

Given stack sizes, I would just stick in $6 on the flop. I agree that the turn + river are non-bets.

I'd put in at least $4 on the flop.

Checking behind isn't a bad idea on the turn and river, but WHAT are you doing betting $2 into a $6 there on the flop? If you had AA or KK or QQ (which you're representing), you wouldn't bet like that, so why would you bet like that now? You should be happy your opponent didn't push you off this hand.

and (theoretically) to improve the chances of getting paid when the set hits.

What? Why? How?

This makes no sense to me. You've announced that you have a strong hand by raising pre-flop. Who are you going to win alot off of? TPGK probably won't stack off against you, since he's afraid you hold at least an overpair. The only hand you'll win alot of money off of is two-pair, and you would have done that anyways without the raise.

Don't get me wrong - i also raise with small pairs when the circumstances dictate. But this is not the reason why.

Or you can put them all-in on the turn. Even if they connected on the ten, they will still fear you have an over pair. The $2 looks like you WANT a call. I guess it depends on your image and reads...but then again it's Noble. Not many veterans on that site. Why are you playing there - for the fishfest? I hope it's not for the so-called bonus. It's horrible.

put more in on the flop
try to see cheap showdown once opp doesnt decide to bet it. I dont think it matters how short stacked opp is, if the showdown is free, its free no matter how big the others guy stack.

Originally Posted by Lexicon Devil

and (theoretically) to improve the chances of getting paid when the set hits.

What? Why? How?

This makes no sense to me. You've announced that you have a strong hand by raising pre-flop. Who are you going to win alot off of? .

Hence "theoretically" ... I't's an experiment born when people kept trapping me on c-bets, and not paying off my sets. The idea was that I'd be able to bet out a set on a ragged flop, and b/c on my PFR and aggressive image it just looks like overcards c-betting.

At noble, at least, TPGK is calling on down despite your PFR, and will often fight back against the aggressive guy. I assure you they're not assuming you have an overpair.

$2 bet into $6 pot is weak, and checking the rest of the way is weak too. I would personally keep raising.

Originally Posted by Lexicon Devil

and (theoretically) to improve the chances of getting paid when the set hits.

What? Why? How?

This makes no sense to me. You've announced that you have a strong hand by raising pre-flop. Who are you going to win alot off of? TPGK probably won't stack off against you, since he's afraid you hold at least an overpair. The only hand you'll win alot of money off of is two-pair, and you would have done that anyways without the raise.

Don't get me wrong - i also raise with small pairs when the circumstances dictate. But this is not the reason why.

2 biggest reasons:

Bigger pot size.. pretty self explanitory. Consider a 3 way limped pot vs a 3 way raised pot that was taken to 4xBB. When your betting post-flop is very much geared toward the potsize, this makes a huge difference on later streets.

Concealability.. suppose a tight, solid player open limps and then starts going crazy on a rag flop. If you don't immediately at least think 'set', something is wrong. Preflop raises from a tight player represent high cards or a high pair. Suppose somebody calls with AK, putting you on a hand like AJ, AQ, AK and the flop comes A high, with you hitting a baby set. You may be able to stack off here.

One more:

By playing the hand aggressivly, you will often see turn and river cards giving you more chances to hit your set.