Set
A set is three of a kind made with a pocket pair and one card on the board. For example, you hold two sevens and the flop contains a third seven. It is a strong, well-hidden hand.
The simple explanation
Because your two cards are a pair and the third card is on the board, nobody can easily tell that you have three of a kind. Trips, in contrast, use only one hole card and are more obvious. You flop a set about once in eight times with a pocket pair.
A closer look
A set is one of the best hands on the flop, since it is hidden and wins big pots. The danger is a bigger set (set over set) or a full house on a paired board. Because opponents rarely suspect it, a set can often win chips from top pair or an overpair. The probability of flopping a set with a pocket pair is about 11.8 percent, which is the reason for set mining. Good players plan whether to bet quickly or to slow play based on the texture.
A practical example
You hold 7♥ 7♦ and the flop is 7♣ 9♦ 2♠. You have a set of sevens.
Full explanation
A set is three of a kind made with a pocket pair and one card on the board. For example, you hold two sevens and the flop contains a third seven. It is a strong, well-hidden hand.
A set is three of a kind with a pocket pair and one board card.
It is a hidden, very strong hand.
You flop one about 12 percent of the time with a pocket pair.
The main risks are a bigger set or a full house.
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.