Pot Limit Omaha disaster

Hi, I want some advice on PLO since i thought i made a good play here, but then left myself trapped.


My first time in a PLO cash game, and i only bought in for $40 ($100 max buyin game on Pokerstars). I had workeed that to $136 after about 45 minutes, and a couple of good hands i got paid off on.


The disaster arose when i held AcAhQdTc in the big blind. The cutoff raised, the button reraised to $16 and i could raise it to a limit of $82.30. I decided to raise this amount and hopefully take it down there. Unfortunately both players called.


The flop came 7hJh7s and i had no real option but to put it allin from first to speak. The cutoff called with 8752. There is obviously no way he should have been there at this point, but since i couldn't knock him out preflop i feel i was stupid to try.


What is everyones opinion on this. I felt i had a great hand, but am i just better to see cheap flops and try to get paid off against this type of player?

Not that I'm any expert or anything but I'll stick my two cents in anyway. If the other players have shown a tendency to fold to big pre-flop raises then this is a reaonable plan. However you're basically "announcing" AAxx and hence most likely will get played with on the flop with any hand that figures to beat AA. Another problem here is that you don't have enough chips to move any callers of their hand on the flop, and with that in mind you're probably better just to call the $16 and see what happens. This gives you a bit of deceptive value as well.

As it is the flop is a very poor one for your hand and you should probably save your remaining $50 for a better opportunity.

All comments welcome


Dave

"My first time in a PLO cash game, and i only bought in for $40 ($100 max buyin game on Pokerstars)."


I understand that if this is your first time in the game you may feel more comfortable buying in for $40, but you really should be buying in for the max. As well as replenishing it when you dip below $90 or so.


"Unfortunately both players called."


I don't see the unfortunate part of this situation. You're getting the money in with the best hand. You want people calling your AAQT with 2578. That's how you make money.


It sounds to me like you are playing a game that you are not properly bankrolled for.

I've just start playing PLO myself, and it is very different than the limit hold 'em I'm used to. I normally buy in for a small amount just like the original poster and try to see flops cheap and then get my money in when I think I have the best of it(nuts, near nuts and nut draws). I guess it is just a mental thing about pushing my whole stack out there when I'm not sure I'm best. Should we be buying in for more and playing marginal hands more aggressively? Or, is there a better way to approach this game?


Thanks,


Fitz

I think the mistake you made is putting do much in out of position, and announcing your hand at the same time. If you were in position the play is not bad, but with a limited bankroll you are better just to see the flop, even from the button.


There is a very good chance that your hand is already dead, as you have had a raise and a reraise, indicating that there is likely at least one suited Ace out there somewhere. The fact that you still left over $50 to be bet means that you are pot committed, but you allow an easy call for someone who has outflopped AA.


I know how you feel, but you have to take a more wait and see approach to the PL game on a limited bankroll, I know i've been there. Awful to see those other beats you took as well, I watched you get $60 each in preflop with AA against 77 only for him to flop quads with only $20 left to bet in the NL holdem game.

saying that his hand was most likely "counterfeited"--the deck was probably depleted with many of his needed flop cards? If so, the correct play to a raise and re-raise would have been to fold(even if he had a terrific looking hand).

Sitting Bull

I think you played the hand just fine: By getting most of your money in preflop, you nullify your positional disadvantage and don't have to worry too much about the negative implied odds of giving your hand away.


Betting your last $54 should also be pretty automatic as you're pot committed and usually would get odds to call even if you are behind (in this case, even as a 2:11 dog, calling $54 would have been exactly break-even).


cu


Ignatius

if losing one hand is a "disaster" it's pretty obvious you are not properly funded for this game. go back to playing with your frat brothers.

Hi Larry,


No I'm not suggesting he fold preflop, although i would not be opposed to the idea if there was reason to suspect there may be a reraise from the cutoff coming.


He should play the hand primarily for the draws he could flop, as opposed to the strength of his Aces. There is a nut flush draw, and a high flop gives him the nut straight or a draw at it. He can also hit an Ace of course, assuming one is live. It is just hard (impossible probably) to get away from the hand if he reraises preflop.

You played the hand the only way you should play it, as long as the stacks aren't terribly deep. For one thing, you can't expect to get called by 8752. Once he calls, the other player is joining in the fun with many different holdings, and this basically means that you need to hit to win or have each player playing similar hands. HOWEVER, if you make this play consistently in this situation, you will make money, and you will put the pressure on them. If they want to gamble with 8752 then you are thrilled. Basically, the player holding this hand was willing to commit (I assume most) most of his chips with crap, knowing you had him beat badly. You want him to call you. The second call was unfortunate, but many times in this situation, when called by two players, each will have another big pair and a wrap type hand, and often they will counterfeit each other. In other words, get your money in- this is a great situation for you: you were simply unlucky. Certainly you will not win all the time in this sitiuation, and in fact you may only win 40 percent of the time, IF two others see the flop. Many times however, you will get heads up or steal whatever is in the pot pre-flop. If you are going to re-raise pre-flop, I say you want to get pot-committed in this situation and push in on this flop. If you happen to be behind on the flop, you may catch up. Play to win, not to avoid losing. If you are worried about losing a hand like this, you may want to move down to some of the slightly smaller pot-limit Omaha games.


Good Luck