Another good wrap ... ?

[Catul]

PokerStars Omaha Pot Limit ($2/$4)

UTG ($266)
UTG+1 ($376)
MP1 ($288)
Hero ($240)
MP2 ($141)
Villain ($380)
Button ($58)
SB ($81)
BB ($160)

Preflop: Hero is in MP with 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 6/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 7/images/graemlins/club.gif, 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif
UTG calls $4, UTG+1 calls $4, MP1 folds, Hero calls $4, MP2 calls $4, <font color="CC3333">Villain raises $26 to $30</font>, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds, UTG calls $26, Hero calls $26, MP2 calls $26.

Flop: 4/images/graemlins/club.gif, Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
UTG, Hero and MP2 check, <font color="CC3333">Villain bets $127</font>, UTG folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises $83 to $210 and is all-in</font>, MP2 folds, Villain calls $83.

Turn: A/images/graemlins/spade.gif

River: 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif

Results in white below: <font color="white">
Hero has [5h 6d 7c 3h] (a straight, Ace to Five)
Villain has [Ad Ah 8s 5d] (a full house, Aces full of Deuces).
Outcome: Villain wins $547. </font>

So, first, I like this preflop hand against the Villain representing a high pair - any thoughts? He does have position on me though, and is an aggressive player. Nice flop for me, don't think it helped him, I like my wrap so I raise all-in; what do you think? Anyone agree with the Villain's play here too? This was a big pot, and I'd love to know how or why you would've played it differently.

If our stacks are deep, say the Villain and I both have $1000, how would your play on the flop differ?

[Grump]

Grr, I know I don't like Villian's play, but I see this kind of overplaying on aces a lot so it will be interesting to see if others agree.

On Villian, he basically has turned half his hand face up and everyone knows he has aces. This only means that he will get called on the flop if someone can beat that, and if he does hit an ace everyone will know it and get out of his way. This is why a big raise with aces is often not that good, even in situations where a reraise might be good. You basically want to be all in or have your opponent all in (or basically so) BEFORE the flop, where you have the advantage. Even this I don't like so much -- remember, unlike Holdem, even suited aces are not that huge a favorite over many, many hands, so why not let the hand develop. This is especially true here, because he doesn't have a very coordinated hand -- it is once suited, but otherwise lacks any real merit other than the aces.

I won't even get into the bet on the flop -- a direct problem of his aggressive raise preflop. Now he missed his aces -- as he will 6 in 7 times approximately -- and he is left with the option of making a big bluff in a situation where people basically know his hand.

On your hand, I think a decent argument can be made that you should have foldedpreflop, given your small cards and being out of position vis-a-vis Villian. But I probably would have called. Your are putting in less than 10% of your stack, you are getting at least 3:1 rather than 2:1 on the current pot, and the stacks of your opponents are deep so you can capitalize with a great flop. Either you hit or you drop.

On the flop, the raise to all-in currently is correct -- you are getting sufficient pot odds for a call with your 11-way or 13-way wrap (depending on whether you are correct he has aces), plus backdoor flush draw. (If he has aces twodimes.net shows that he will win 56% of the time with his actual hand; if he had the same suits with kings, it is a 51-49% tossup). But you should put the bet all-in and not just call so that you are not stuck with having to call a bet on the turn when you are no longer a favorite if you miss. In the end the turn card was just what you wanted, he just lucked out with a 1:3.5 river drawout.

Any further comments, especially on my diatribe against AA preflop raises, would be appreciated.

[beernutz]

<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre>
pokenum -o 5h 6d 7c 3h - ad ah 8s 5d -- 4c qh 2d
Omaha Hi: 820 enumerated boards containing 4c 2d Qh
cards win %win lose %lose tie %tie EV
7c 6d 5h 3h 358 43.66 462 56.34 0 0.00 0.437
8s Ad 5d Ah 462 56.34 358 43.66 0 0.00 0.563

</pre><hr />