harman's play of trip 7's

[Eastwood Jr. 0]

I would have led out with a litle less then a pit sized bet from that position because she has to know that one of them has to have a strong king and will most likely raise her. If Eli gets out of the hand she can check call the turn on sammy and pund him on the river. Seems like the more profitable move.

If she bets out then she's taking the bluff away from two aggressive players. The fact is, most of the time when a king hits the board then nobody has it. The only hands to reraise or call a reraise with are AK or KQs and hands like KJ or K10 might call but would probably fold preflop. Anything weaker would already be in the muck. Smooth calling may send up warning signals but check raising all in against a bet and a raise on the flop certainly sends up fireworks. Sammy bet 25.5 and Jen reraised 95 more to 120. If she were to smooth call she could represent that she had limped in with the weaker king (ie KQ,KJ) and then called Eli preflop to "protect her children." If she checks the turn and Sam checks then she can value bet the river and get called. If she checks and Sam bets then she can move in and he may be stuck calling.I think that leading on the flop here is a questionable play unless you could actually see the cards that Eli and Sam had. Otherwise you risk the equity of letting one of them hang themselves with a bluff. (For example what if Eli had 1010 and Sammy had AQ instead of AK. Then she would have called preflop as a huge underdog to win nothing more when she makes her set.)

[Jordan 1]

I would have led out with a litle less then a pit sized bet from that position because she has to know that one of them has to have a strong king and will most likely raise her. If Eli gets out of the hand she can check call the turn on sammy and pund him on the river. Seems like the more profitable move.

If she bets out then she's taking the bluff away from two aggressive players. The fact is, most of the time when a king hits the board then nobody has it. The only hands to reraise or call a reraise with are AK or KQs and hands like KJ or K10 might call but would probably fold preflop. Anything weaker would already be in the muck. Smooth calling may send up warning signals but check raising all in against a bet and a raise on the flop certainly sends up fireworks. Sammy bet 25.5 and Jen reraised 95 more to 120. If she were to smooth call she could represent that she had limped in with the weaker king (ie KQ,KJ) and then called Eli preflop to "protect her children." If she checks the turn and Sam checks then she can value bet the river and get called. If she checks and Sam bets then she can move in and he may be stuck calling.I think that leading on the flop here is a questionable play unless you could actually see the cards that Eli and Sam had. Otherwise you risk the equity of letting one of them hang themselves with a bluff. (For example what if Eli had 1010 and Sammy had AQ instead of AK. Then she would have called preflop as a huge underdog to win nothing more when she makes her set.)

Thinking like this won't help you move up in limits playing NL cash games.Taking the lead here with a set, regardless of her opponents cards, is good move when a K/A flops and there are two aggressive players behind you, one of which raised preflop.Just leading throws them off. They might call the bet, they might raise...either way the pots going to bloat somehow for the later streets where people get more tied to the pot cause they are more involved.I think so many people see tournament players check/calling or check/raising their sets on flops that they think it's the same right play to do in a cash game. I don't, but meh...whatever. I remember the wsop hand at the final table when the irish dude flopped a set against kantor...he lead out, was raised...and then in my opinion foolishly moved in...he was acting way too confident and relaxed when he moved in..but kantor was such a donk that i wouldn't have been surprised had he called...maybe that's what the irish man was thinking..however..had he just called kantors raise...i'd be willing to wager (based on kantors play) that he would have bet most turns and get himself in bigger trouble....that's one example of why leading into a preflop raiser with a small set with a big card on the flop is good..but there are countless others.You gotta think about her opponents in this hand....sammy was raising with any two almost everytime...so to assume he wouldn't raise harmon on the flop I think is just wrong. Jen played the hand fine for what happened on the flop (cause if you think about it. it is a little unlucky too with the betting - she knew she couldn't call 25k cold, she had to move in and hope sammy called)...she really couldn't just c/c 25k cold and not set off alarm bells...but she could have played it better and I think the only way to do that is by leading the flop...had it just been her and sammy I bet she gets a lot more than 25k on this hand...maybe breaking him...maybe we'll see another hand similar to this in later shows...hopefully.- Jordan

[TeeSludge 0]

I would have led out with a litle less then a pit sized bet from that position because she has to know that one of them has to have a strong king and will most likely raise her. If Eli gets out of the hand she can check call the turn on sammy and pund him on the river. Seems like the more profitable move.

If she bets out then she's taking the bluff away from two aggressive players. The fact is, most of the time when a king hits the board then nobody has it. The only hands to reraise or call a reraise with are AK or KQs and hands like KJ or K10 might call but would probably fold preflop. Anything weaker would already be in the muck. Smooth calling may send up warning signals but check raising all in against a bet and a raise on the flop certainly sends up fireworks. Sammy bet 25.5 and Jen reraised 95 more to 120. If she were to smooth call she could represent that she had limped in with the weaker king (ie KQ,KJ) and then called Eli preflop to "protect her children." If she checks the turn and Sam checks then she can value bet the river and get called. If she checks and Sam bets then she can move in and he may be stuck calling.I think that leading on the flop here is a questionable play unless you could actually see the cards that Eli and Sam had. Otherwise you risk the equity of letting one of them hang themselves with a bluff. (For example what if Eli had 1010 and Sammy had AQ instead of AK. Then she would have called preflop as a huge underdog to win nothing more when she makes her set.)

Thinking like this won't help you move up in limits playing NL cash games.Taking the lead here with a set, regardless of her opponents cards, is good move when a K/A flops and there are two aggressive players behind you, one of which raised preflop.Just leading throws them off. They might call the bet, they might raise...either way the pots going to bloat somehow for the later streets where people get more tied to the pot cause they are more involved.I think so many people see tournament players check/calling or check/raising their sets on flops that they think it's the same right play to do in a cash game. I don't, but meh...whatever. I remember the wsop hand at the final table when the irish dude flopped a set against kantor...he lead out, was raised...and then in my opinion foolishly moved in...he was acting way too confident and relaxed when he moved in..but kantor was such a donk that i wouldn't have been surprised had he called...maybe that's what the irish man was thinking..however..had he just called kantors raise...i'd be willing to wager (based on kantors play) that he would have bet most turns and get himself in bigger trouble....that's one example of why leading into a preflop raiser with a small set with a big card on the flop is good..but there are countless others.You gotta think about her opponents in this hand....sammy was raising with any two almost everytime...so to assume he wouldn't raise harmon on the flop I think is just wrong. Jen played the hand fine for what happened on the flop (cause if you think about it. it is a little unlucky too with the betting - she knew she couldn't call 25k cold, she had to move in and hope sammy called)...she really couldn't just c/c 25k cold and not set off alarm bells...but she could have played it better and I think the only way to do that is by leading the flop...had it just been her and sammy I bet she gets a lot more than 25k on this hand...maybe breaking him...maybe we'll see another hand similar to this in later shows...hopefully.- Jordan

You are dead on, sweety.

[Eastwood Jr. 0]

Had it just been her and sammy I bet she gets a lot more than 25k on this hand...maybe breaking him...maybe we'll see another hand similar to this in later shows...hopefully.- JordanYou are dead on, sweety.Good point. However I still feel like the way Jen was playing if she led out,then Eli would have folded and Sammy would have raised. Then if she moves in he can fold anyway. So if both of them missed then she takes their bluff away and if neither flopped much than she loses her customers. Keep in mind that I agree with leading the set on almost any other flop especially ace high or a middle card high, 3 flush, 3 straights etc. or if I were the original raiser then I would go ahead and fire as well. However with that board, in first position and not being the original raiser betting out will often be an action killer. Nobody could possibly have a drawing hand and if no one can beat kings then they'll likely throw their hand away especially since Jen had been playing a quiet tight game and slowly accumulating chips.

[SportsW234 0]

I believe Jennifer thought that just calling in that spot would scream a set in that spot. It's possible a just call in that spot doesn't get her any more action. I think maybe with the board being rainbow and the agressiveness of Farha that maybe a just call or maybe even a small raise will get her some more action.

[bmwmcoupe 0]

this hand was discussed on 2+2, she clearly misplayed it and she admiited that she did, I think she woulda gotten the most by leading the flop here

[Eastwood Jr. 0]

I believe Jennifer thought that just calling in that spot would scream a set in that spot. It's possible a just call in that spot doesn't get her any more action. I think maybe with the board being rainbow and the agressiveness of Farha that maybe a just call or maybe even a small raise will get her some more action.

I think you're right. Eli raising in the middle was what actually came back to haunt Jen in the end. As far as leading, that is so tough to do, especially when you know that Sammy likes to fire pot sized bets with nothing when the action is checked to him.

[BIG_L_RIP 0]

haven't read responses.a smooth call on that dry flop is more suspicious than anything. In her own words, she admitted misplaying the hand and said in hindsight, she should've led the flop and let Sammy raise behind her.All told, there is no good way to play such a conspicuous hand there.