Free Poker Guide - How To Read Set Hands

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

A Set consists of a pocket pair plus one of several Community cards that has the identical rank as the pocket pair.

For example, in case you have 4-4 along with the Community cards are 5-4-10-J-K, you do have 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 a mixture of limiting possible hands on the given characteristics in 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 (to find the best pair, best kicker), A-Q (for the made Straight), or K-10 or 5-4 (for Two-Pair), and even A-A (a higher pair)?

Sometimes maybe you might even put him on one Five, say, 6-5. But on two Fives or two Fours? This is why Sets are extremely potent in Boards without any Straight or Flush potential.

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

Because there won't be any Straight or Flush potentials your attacker will fold cards that didn't fit into the Board cards. If you read hands according for the criteria above, you could put your assailant on A-Q, K-Q, as well as Q-7 (can you go in terms of 7-2?!).

Here because you're the one who moved all-in, the result in the hand is just not fully in your control; it's approximately whether the opponent calls or otherwise.

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

When you're slammed inside a situation such as this (which usually occurs on the Flop) with a cash game, take it as it is. Pay him off. Some other time you should have the Q-Q, various other player could have the 2-2, and you will be paid off.

But in a very tournament, you might have many givens to take into account (and you could want to take into account these even during a common cash game). Compare your stack sizes relative to the other. If the difference is great, expect certainly one of you to place his chips at the center.

A Set could be the best hand two of you may 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 stacks above chip average, and you might be put to an option costing you all or practically all your chips. You have 2-2. You're not likely to be blinded out in a few hands.

You may want to reason out:

I use a Set.


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


He may undertake it with Q-7.


And whether your attacker had Q-7 you aren't is dependent upon so what happened preflop.


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


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


Or if there is a raise, it might be with A-Q.

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

And there is no Straight and Flush incoming, and so the all-in could be made just with a specially strong hand. It might also be with A-A or with K-K (almost certainly it is) but it might be also 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 probability of 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 can also apply.

But you will be much safer as there is only 1 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, particularly if all of it comes down to giving up one of several most valued hands in Hold'Em.

Reading Sets In summary

It takes serious amounts of figure out how to read hands, it's not something the unthinking donk "chip flingers" seen on many free poker tables even consider.

Most players it seems like can't or won't put the amount of time in, they promise to try out just for fun which misses out on the key fact that winning lots of money is a lot more fun!

I think it's crazy that more and more people have fun with so little skill and almost enjoy the actual fact! But re-decorating nice thing about it for you personally as one of the few that is learning to learn well.

That's because once you know to experience poker with above average skill and are able to combat the "all-in-all the time" donk maniacs then you can certainly take them apart in coldly calculated massacres when you like.