Set

Sets are among the most profitable hands in Hold'em because they are well disguised and hard for opponents to put you on. Since a set requires starting with a pocket pair, it's rarer and generally stronger in practice than trips made with one hole card.

Sets have excellent implied odds, so it's often correct to call preflop with small pocket pairs specifically hoping to flop a set (known as 'set mining'), provided the implied odds justify it. Once flopped, be wary of monster boards where a set can still lose to a straight or flush -- get value but don't overcommit blindly. Slowplaying can work on dry boards, but bet for protection on wet, draw-heavy boards. Watch for paired boards, which can turn your set into a full house or, more rarely, lose to quads.

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