Free Poker Guide - How To Read Set Hands

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Regardless of if you just play free poker online or play for that highest stakes imaginable a Set is amongst the most unreadable hands in Texas Hold'em.

A Set consist of a pocket pair plus one of several Community cards containing the same rank as your pocket pair.

For example, for those who have 4-4 and also the Community cards are 5-4-10-J-K, you've got a Set of Fours.

Sets are unreadable because most players are accustomed to reading (a) two different hole cards, (b) high cards or overpairs, (c) draws that complete the Board, or (d) cards anyway in connection with the Board cards.

Our hand reading habits generally combining limiting possible hands on the given characteristics with the board/community. How would you put someone on 5-5 or 4-4 if it's much easier to place him on A-K (for top pair, best kicker), A-Q (to get a made Straight), or K-10 or 5-4 (for Two-Pair), or perhaps A-A (a high pair)?

Sometimes you may also put him on a single Five, say, 6-5. But on two Fives or two Fours? This is why Sets have become potent in Boards without any Straight or Flush potential.

However, suppose in a Flop of Q-7-2 without Straight or Flush possibilities, you have 2-2. You check (hoping to trap him), the other player bets. You raise all in then he immediately calls and reveals Q-Q. You thought your assailant had A-Q or K-Q. How is this possible? It's possible. Even in this spot you are more susceptible.

Because there are no Straight or Flush potentials your attacker will fold cards that didn't fit into the Board cards. If you read hands according on the criteria above, you could possibly put your opponent on A-Q, K-Q, or perhaps Q-7 (could you go as much as 7-2?!).

Here because you might be the one who moved all-in, the results in the hand is just not fully in your control; it's as much as whether your opponent calls or otherwise not.

But imagine that the situation is reversed. The player with all the Q-Q checks, you bet, then a fact is a raise all-in. How would you act?

When you can find yourself slammed in a situation this way (which usually occurs for the Flop) over a cash game, get it since it is. Pay him off. Some other time you'll have the Q-Q, various other player can have the 2-2, and will also be paid back.

But in the tournament, you've got many givens to take into account (and you may want to consider these during an ordinary cash game). Compare your stack sizes relative to the other person. If the difference is extremely good, expect considered one of you to set his chips at the center.

A Set will be the best hand two of you will surely have to get a double-up. If you possess the smaller Set get eliminated, attribute it to bad luck. However, assuming both of you've got stacks above chip average, and you're put to a choice costing you all or virtually all your chips. You have 2-2. You're not apt to be blinded out inside a few hands.

You may wish to reason out:

I have a very Set.


He raised me enough to set me all-in, or almost.


He may get it done with Q-7.


And whether your attacker had Q-7 or otherwise not is dependent upon what actually transpired preflop.


If no raise occurred it may be with Q-7, and you also can safely call.


Whether your opponent had 7-7 or otherwise not can also come under similar scrutiny


Or if there exists a raise, it can be with A-Q.

Now, capsa susun top pair, top kicker is often a weak hand to risk an above-average stack.

And there is not any Straight and Flush incoming, and so the all-in may be made simply with a particularly strong hand. It might be also with A-A or with K-K (most probably it can be) but it might even be just with Q-Q.

If I put him on those three hands, you will find there's 2/3 chance I'm right, but a 1/3 potential for wrong, so when I'm wrong I will be busted. So I'll fold.

If you possess the guts Set (Set of Sevens), the same analysis may also apply.

But you'll be much safer because there is just one Set to kill you instead of the two possible Sets in older times. If you possess the Set of Queens, enjoy!

The above analysis is agonizing and painstaking, specially when all this comes from quitting one of several most valued hands in Hold'Em.

Reading Sets In summary

It takes serious amounts of learn to read hands, it is not something the unthinking donk "chip flingers" seen on many free poker tables even consider.

Most players it appears can't or won't squeeze in time, they're saying to play just for fun which misses out on the key proven fact that winning lots of money is often a lot more fun!

I think it's crazy that many people use so little skill and almost revel in the fact! But this is very good news for you as one of several few who's learning to experience well.

That's because once you discover to play poker with above average skill and so are capable of combat the "all-in-all the time" donk maniacs then you can certainly bring them apart in coldly calculated massacres whenever you like.