Short Handed Poker : Importance of a SetI'll get right down
to the basics. Pre-flop starting hand requirements go out the window
short-handed because short-handed No-Limit Hold'em (SHNL) poker is
all about the set. The
Mystery of the SetIt took me two years of playing
to realize how powerful the set is in SHNL. Sets (a.k.a.
three-of-a-kind) are very mysterious because they're almost
impossible to pick up and even harder to hit. You'll hit a set on
the flop about once every eight times you play pairs. The
reason we play sets, or a "money hand," is because most opponents
won't put you on three-of-a-kind when you bet. Pairs must become
your best friend at a short-handed cash table because they can be
devastating in SHNL. Sets
Win Big PotsForget about aces. Forget about kings.
Sets make the most money in SHNL. When you hit your set you'll
almost always rake in a decent pot. Think about it, when you have
aces and lose, the most common hands that beat you are sets and the
occasional drawing hands. That's why I always call a raise
(providing it's not too huge) with any pair - when I hit my set, I
get all-in action at least half of the time from those players.
Let's say you call a pre-flop raise of $30, and you and an opponent
are sitting at a table with $600 each. True, most of the time you'll
miss your set, but when you hit, you have the opportunity to take
his entire stack. SHNL is all about implied odds, not pot
odds. If you're drawing expensively, but your opponent is sitting
with a lot of money, it would be correct to draw. The same goes with
a set. Learn to play pairs and you'll become an artist at
short-handed cash games.
Pairs Are Easy To FoldWhen you miss your set, pairs
are the easiest hands to fold because you're in no way committed to
the flop. If you miss, you fold. If you hit, you're golden. It's as
simple as that. How To Play
SetsAlways bet your sets on the flop. I make the
most money when I bet and get my opponent pot committed. If you know
your opponent will bet, then by all means check to him, but I'm
strongly opposed to slow-playing any hand and advise against it. | 
