I have gotten a lot better about getting away from overpairs but when the flop comes all raggedy it's so hard to do because often enough you get people showing you QQ-1010 thinking that you have AK or some crap like that. Do you guys have some guidelines of when to take these hands to the felt and when to check fold. I thought I was getting a handle on it but lately I've been getting my butt kicked.


Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (9 handed)

MP3 ($40.20)
CO ($62.55)
Button ($164.10)
SB ($15.90)
BB ($178.70)
UTG ($39)
UTG+1 ($79.60)
Hero ($120.15)
MP2 ($83)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with , .
UTG raises to $3, UTG+1 calls $3, Hero raises to $9, 5 folds, BB calls $8, UTG folds, UTG+1 calls $6.

Flop: ($30.50) , , (3 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $20, BB folds, UTG+1 goes all in for $70.

I call and he has 3 10's.

Hand 2:
Ok on this one I think I played it badly. Do you just check fold the flop? The only reason I was willing to play it to the felt is he was somewhat short stacked but I think here I should have known he likely had AA and check folded this flop. Do you agree?

Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (8 handed)

Button ($112)
Hero ($130.90)
BB ($72.95)
UTG ($89.15)
UTG+1 ($103.60)
MP1 ($42.45)
MP2 ($150.85)
CO ($105.60)

Preflop: Hero is SB with , .
1 fold, MP1 calls $1, 3 folds, Hero raises to $4, BB raises to $13, 1 fold, Hero calls $9.

Flop: ($27) , , (3 players)
Hero bets $27, [color=#CC3333]BB raises to $58, Hero calls
He has AA

Hand 1 I think your re-raise preflop is a bit small-ish considering someone already called the original raise. I'd pump it to $12 or something to make sure nobody has odds to draw to a set. You have to bet that flop and his raise is only pot-sized so it's hard to get away from. He could be a muppet doing this with AT, JJ-AA, flush draw or straight draw as well as the set. I wouldn't fold.

Hand 2 is KK vs AA, after Set vs Set it's the most un-escapable scenario and you have to curse your bad luck and move on. And of course realise that you'll end up with enough AA vs KK to balance it in the long run (if you live to be a million at leas) and that since others are stupid enough to do it with AK and QQ you have the best of it.

But on hand 1 they are getting set value even if I make it $12 because they are very likely to stack me if they hit their set right?

No, since the bigger stack of them only has $80 he can't call $9 more unless he's 100% sure he'll stack if he hits, which he of course can't be*.

If you get >10% of your opponents stack in preflop you can pretty much always go/call all-in without looking at the board and still make a profit.

* Since you can hit a higher set, get a flush/straight or simply not give action (ie: an Ace flops or the board is otherwise dangerous).