Sets, Bad Luck, Bad Calls

Usually, flopping a set is a wonderful thing.  It is certainly one of the most powerful hands in poker with not only its power, but its drawing power to the full house or quads.  Give me a set every time and I will crush most games.  This morning, I called a small blind raise from the button with 4/4 and was rewarded with the flopped set.  He bet, I called.  He checked, I went all in he called with K/K.  Player down as he failed to improve.  Ended the tournament on the final table bubble in 11th place when I made a bad call.  In the small blind with KJ, the button min-raised from his big stack.  I called, and a limper also called.  The flop came 9 high, I checked and the limper shoved.  The button said, "you stole my move", and folded.  I had about 1800 left with 300/600 blinds, so I called saying, "I have nothing but 2 overcards".  He sheepishly turned over his A5 no pair, one overcard which was good enough to win the pot and eliminate me as we both failed to pair up.  Bad call, but with only 3 blinds left it was a calculated gamble.  Reviewing my play of this hand, I either should have folded preflop or shoved.  Calling as I did, it would have been a great position as first to act to go ahead and shove (stop & go play) as it would have put the weak ace in an awkward position with the initial raiser yet to play.  I was ahead of the initial raiser's range probably 75% of the time and would have won the hand.

So, then playing some online Omaha, I flopped 4 sets in a row!!!!!  And lost with every one of them!!!!  A straight beat me each time on the river as I could not buy a paired board.  Then, my last hand, I turn the nut flush.....and the board pairs on the river to beat me with a full house.  Go figure.

This week is the Pendleton Round Up.  I am planning to play the $215 buy in Saturday NL holdem.  Will see how I do and perhaps play either the seniors or the Omaha next week.