Painful

Second hand of a $1.10 tournament I am dealt pocket threes. Limped in and we are three handed to the flop. The flop comes 3 4 5, the guy bets 140, I raise to 280, third guy folds, First player goes all in, I call, he shows A 10, turns a King, rivers a two. That sucked. Should I have played differently or is this just a bad beat?

Oops misread it. You need to be especially careful of playing low pocket pairs with straight possibilities (high congruent board texture) and be willing to accept such things when they happen. Often you'll be up against limped aces and possibly even an a-2 or over pairs like 5-6. Your best opponents will be holding something like A-5 but even that has outs or maybe 2 pair such as 4-5. I'm not saying you played poorly but on a such a flop a set is high risk. I think the odds are strongly in your favor because he only had 4 outs or 8% or the 2 aces which is 1 of 3 * 1 of 2 (very slim) but he could have made it on the flop too. Also almost any set will beat you. I think you had the odds strongly in your favor but again good chance someone with something like A-5 is always going to call because they have TPTK, the ace, and the ability to hit the wheel. Just checked it: in this case you were 85% favorite so it was a good play -- in a cash game it might be a good play but someone could have just flopped an A-2 or limped with 6-7. The other way to play is to try t play a smaller pot and get away from it but then you'll not make anything and why not fold. The guy with the A-10 was probably overestimating his chances of winning but he felt he had the ace and the wheel possibility and it was a big pot if he won it.

Usually I'd like to see the turn, call if I think I'm behind, raise if ahead. On a limp flop you could already be behind, but I'd doubt it. A2 might bet big but so early its likely something stupid (like AT) Decision as to whether you want to guard your tourn life or take an excellent chance to double up.

It's a bad beat in a $1.10 tourney. Forget about it and move on.

"omg i have 4th best high card and a gutshot to the ass end of a straight"

If this was a higher limit game I might suggest folding. But against in a $1.10 tournament it's an insta-call. People are going to be shoving with all kinds of crud.

Flopping a set and getting all of your chips in is why you played 3/3 to begin with.

You were better than 80% to win. While surviving is an important factor in tournaments, 80% with the chance to be the chip leader is too juicy to pass up.

When you flop a set at these stakes, just get it in. Even against good players at higher stakes you're rarely folding a set unless you're extremely deep. Just get the money in, you did, and you had the best hand. He sucked out. It happens, it's poker. Keep doing this and you'll make money in the long run.

zachvac said:

When you flop a set at these stakes, just get it in. Even against good players at higher stakes you're rarely folding a set unless you're extremely deep. Just get the money in, you did, and you had the best hand. He sucked out. It happens, it's poker. Keep doing this and you'll make money in the long run.

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100% true! Anyone suggesting a fold here is crazy! Why play these hands if you're going to fear the boogey man when you hit?

As Zach said, very rare situations will make you laydown.

Hey, yep get your money in with a flopped set. Like the previous post says You're 80% to win. I would have played it the same way. In fact, I did today and it. I went from chip leader to short stack but I got my money in with the best hand. SHort term I was pissed, but I know long term I will make money with similiar play.
I had Q-Q on a board Q-9-10, I led out with a pot sized bet , he pushed AI and showed a set of tens. His set turned into quads on the river.