Omaha8 hand

I'm in a very loose Omaha 8 game. Sitting in middle position, I pick up Ah2s9h9c. Not a great hand but in this game, I believe I can surely play it.


1 limper to me, I limp, button limps, BB checks. Very unusual, only 4 players in the pot.


Flop is 3s6sTd, BB checks, Limper checks, I bet, button calls BB folds and Limper calls.


Turn is the 7h, giving me the nut low. Surprisingly, the limper bets into me. I call, button calls.


River is the Qs. Limper bets, I raise, button folds, limper calls.


We split the low and I win the high. Comments?

you should have thought about raisng on fourth street. it looks like a low was made and by raising you might drive out the high hand and win that part of of pot as well and if he made a straight you split anyway.

Thanks Ray for the comment,


I did think about raising on the turn. I put the limper on A2 as well and thought that if I only called, they would put me on a flush draw. If that flush card would come, then I could raise on the river to (maybe) win high.


I thought that if I raised on the turn, they would likely put me on A2 or a low and then the button could stay in with a weaker high (but a better one than mine). I thought that this way would be the best way to play, so I can represent a flush on the river.


Comments?

Raising on the turn:


Even if the button thinks you have A2 he doesn't know what part, if any of high you (or the original bettor) have so he is faced with calling 2 big bets to at best win half the pot while being free-rolled in two places if he's not already beat for high. Plus he could be a situation where it will be capped On the turn and river so without the nut-high, he is unlikely to play.


Regards,


Paul Talbot

A suggestion Ray. If you put out a new edition of your HLSPFAP book you should include a lot of little scenarios like the one you responded to. I read your book (twice now) and got a lot out of it but if it had more of these type of game condition examples with recommended options and why they are recommended it would be gold.


This is just intended as constructive criticism and I sincerely hope no toes are being stepped on.

I don't understand the raise on the river. Wouldn't you want the button to possibly call here hoping he is holding second nut low? As others have already posted a raise on the turn seems to be a better option.

I raised the river instead of the turn because I did not want the button to call with a pair of Q or 2 pair on the river. The fact that the limper bet into me indicated some kind of low, or a str8. I wanted to see the button's reaction to the limper bet since I could get quartered here. Plus, I thought the button would put me on the nut low if I raised the turn after betting the flop.


So, I opted to see if he would call the turn, and if so, I'd raise the river, especially if a flush card fell. The way I played the hand, makes it very believable that I have the flush, IMO.


Thus, the button would probably fold a better pair or 2 pair so I can win high with my pair of nines.


If the limper has the str8, he won't reraise me and we'll split the pot anyway.


Nicolas Fradet (The Prince)

Maybe I'm just too timid in this situation but this play just seems like a recipe for getting quartered. In a very loose game as you descibed it I just don't see people getting pushed out by that river raise with ~10 BBs in the pot. In a tight game maybe I try it, and it might be worth it just from a table persona perspective but I still can't see raising here in a loose game with the flush on the board.


But I should say I'm just here to learn and I'm kind of playing devil's advocate in an effort to better understand. I AM NOT an expert omaha player nor do I play one at Paradise. Thanks for taking the time to explain your reasoning.

The raise on the river has to be terrible. If you are in a loose o/8 game, people will call with any flush, straight or set. Plus, the original better might have A2s or any other flush/stright/2 pair. You are asking for a re-raise from a nut flush or A2 & flush. IMHO, you were very lucky not to get re-raised and throw away more money with only 3 players in the pot.

and