Flop a Set
To flop a set is to hold a pocket pair and see a third card of the same rank on the flop, which gives you three of a kind.
The simple explanation
If you hold two eights and one more eight comes on the flop, you flopped a set. A set is hard for the opponents to read, so it often wins a large pot.
A closer look
A pocket pair flops a set about 12 percent of the time, which is about 1 time in 8 or 9. This is why players call raises with small pairs: it is called set mining. The hand is best when the implied odds are large, which means that you can win many chips when you hit. Remember that a set is three of a kind with two cards in your hand; with one card in your hand and a pair on the board, it is trips.
A practical example
You hold 8♥ 8♦ and the flop is 8♣ K♠ 3♦. You flopped a set of eights.
Full explanation
To flop a set is to hold a pocket pair and see a third card of the same rank on the flop, which gives you three of a kind.
To flop a set is to hit three of a kind with a pocket pair.
It happens about 12 percent of the time.
This is why players set mine with small pairs.
A set is better disguised than trips.
A set
No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
Read the example transcript
Player A has the button (BTN) and posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player B posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
- Player A BTN / SB 77 of hearts (7h)77 of diamonds (7d) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player B BB AAce of clubs (Ac)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 8 chips
Player A raises to 6 before the flop.
- Player A BTN / SB 77 of hearts (7h)77 of diamonds (7d) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB AAce of clubs (Ac)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 12 chips
Player B calls. Each player has put in 6 chips.
- Player A BTN / SB 77 of hearts (7h)77 of diamonds (7d) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB AAce of clubs (Ac)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Flop · Pot: 12 chips
Player A holds a pair of sevens and the flop brings the third seven. A pocket pair that matches a board card is a set.
Board: 77 of clubs (7c)99 of diamonds (9d)22 of spades (2s)
- Player A BTN / SB 77 of hearts (7h)77 of diamonds (7d) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB AAce of clubs (Ac)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.