This is a situation in which I've lost several fairly big pots lately with the set, strangely enough. I'll just share last night's hand and would appreciate any comments (the other one was almost identical but was almost a month ago, so I don't remember the details):

LAG raiser raises to $25 PF, and I call with 55. Raiser has about $250 in front of him. I have him well-covered. Raiser is on the button, so I limped-called here.

Flop comes A23. Basically, the LAG can be put on any playable hand with his raise (and some unplayable ones). I obviously check this flop with the intention of folding, although betting wouldn't be a mistake in principle either, I don't think. Anyhow, he checks behind me. This guy, I should say to his credit, doesn't have a problem at all in checking unless he has improved, although he'll sometimes make a probe bet, too.

The turn is now a 5, making my set. He can have pretty much anything, which still makes a 4 pretty improbable, so I bet $25 into him (I guess this was a second attempt at my own probe bet--pot was $60, I think). He flat calls. This does seem a little odd to me. He definitely has a hand here with a flat call, but what? I'm really inclined to think he does have something with a 4 in it.

River comes another A. Ok, I figure, now I have the boat, so I fire $100 into the pot... And he raises all-in for another $100, which I call.

Turns out he has A3 for the bigger boat. When he raised, I figured him for trips (which I feel sure he would have played almost exactly the same way, but perhaps not with the flop check). Would anyone have seen this coming?

Well, my other hand of exactly the same sort involved a set vs. 2 pair on the flop.

My basic problem on hands of this sort is that I slow down a lot of the time on my set when straights or flushes show up, then when the board pairs, I open up again. Well, if it were a flush or straight, the pair would be great, but the real problem is that 2 pair makes a bigger boat, and I really don't see it coming.

I guess one thing at least to be aware of: If it's the high card that pairs and you have middle set, then there is some danger against 2 pair--much less so with middle set if a low card pairs, since your boat will be bigger. And it's a particular problem, I think, if an A or K is the card that pairs.

Does anyone have problems with my river play here? I know the turn bet was weak, but here, I was hoping this guy would raise my probe bet with a weaker hand. I'm guessing he put me on either straight or set on the turn--fairly accurate assessment anyway if that's what he was thinking.

I'm not sure I could/would have played it any differently.

He raised pf so I give him credit for the Ace.

He called you on the turn bet which told me he too is probably afraid of the straight.

On the river, he could have just made trip aces or filled up higher. There's no way I could have seen it and I'd have called the all-in.

Maybe other BTP experts have greater insight

Trod