trips with a bad kicker

[fishstick]

i hope this post will generate some discussion about playing trips when you've got a crappy kicker. this is a part of the game that continues to vex me.

my take:

- unraised preflop, so any hand is possible
- to the reraise on my flop bet, i need to either fold or push all-in
- if the SB hadn't called, i would have pushed all-in, but i figured based on the reraise and the SB calling, one of them had to have a 2
- was my flop overbet too much (e.g. did it seem "weak")?

when i saw the 2 fall on the turn - grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

was my skirt too tight?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (9 handed)

UTG+1 ($37.80)
MP1 ($9.50)
MP2 ($28.25)
MP3 ($12.95)
CO ($30.50)
Button ($30.10)
SB ($22.50)
fishstick ($11.25)
UTG ($23.40)

Preflop: fishstick is BB with 5, 2.
UTG calls $0.25, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls $0.25, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button calls $0.25, SB completes, fishstick checks.

Flop: ($1.25) J, 2, 2 (5 players)
SB bets $2, fishstick raises to $4, UTG folds, MP1 raises to $9.25, Button folds, SB calls $7.25, fishstick folds.

Turn: ($23.75) 2 (2 players)

River: ($23.75) 3 (2 players)

Final Pot: $23.75

Results in white below:
SB has Qh Jc (full house, twos full of jacks).
MP1 has Jh Kc (full house, twos full of jacks).
Outcome: MP1 wins $11.87. SB wins $11.87.

I would generally always play small trips (ie. deuces) very strongly regardless of kicker. Put it this way, there is only 1 more deuce left out there, any the chances are against it belonging to one of the players in the hand.

However, if I flopped trip aces with A2s I would play very cautiously, and if faced with a huge bet I would probably fold it.

EDIT: Spelling mistake

[fishstick]

However, if I flopped trip aces with A2s I would play very cautiously, and if faced with a huge bet I would probably fold it.

very true - it's the small trips that mess with my mind.

if i'd even had 2T, i would have played this out!

[a500lbgorilla]

You're also forgetting that you are at a less disciplined stake, it's very easy for them to push with Top pair or a flush draw. All in all, if you go to the end everytime you get a set with a weak kicker, you'll win more than you lose I'd assume. Unless you get a great read, which happens from time to time.

-'rilla

[Fnord]

- unraised preflop, so any hand is possible

This applies only for top pair like hands against reasonable opposition.

With nearly 1/2 of your stack in the pot, you can't lay this down. With deeper money it's one of those tough NL decisions.

[RD Olivaw]

I've gotten the raw end of hands like this with both high and low cards..

Once I went out on the first hand of an SNG with K3. Flop comes x33. I bet, get a re-raise, I go all-in.. He turns up A3..


Second one was with Qx.. Flop comes AQQ. Bet Big, he calls, Go all in on the turn, he calls. He turns over AQ...


I think the point is that these are just crazy freak hands, and more times than not you will get paid off on them.

[fishstick]

I think the point is that these are just crazy freak hands, and more times than not you will get paid off on them.

i think that's my final take on the whole thing.

they still annoy me, though.

thanks for the feedback everyone.

[Radashack]

You have to make these hands pay you. I think the one time in recent memory i've lost a hand like this was playing limit last weekend at a B&M. (damn limit calling stations my trips go out tripped )

If I hit a hand like this I will check or bet minimally My mentality behind this is, Trap trap trap. I see these as golden opportunities. By checking or small betting this hand you can get a read on what your opponents are betting, and also potentially give yourself a cheaper way out of the hand if you know your beat.

Also its amazing how people get caught up in raiseing... if you called the bet the 3rd player might have called, or his raise would be less, putting you in a better mental position to call your trips and in turn see your Quads.

Take it or leave it

[fishstick]

Also its amazing how people get caught up in raiseing... if you called the bet the 3rd player might have called, or his raise would be less, putting you in a better mental position to call your trips and in turn see your Quads.

good point. i raised the small blind mainly for information - it was the large reraise from the MP player that really threw me, and then the SB instantly called...

baaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh! i didn't really need to triple up anyway. i probably would have just spent the money on cheap liquor and pornography...

[Radashack]

LOL you have it backwards though... thats exactly why you needed to triple up