Omaha 8 - Raising in the Blinds for Value

What hands to you raise in the blinds for value?


I more or less raise with the same hands I raise with in late position.


I ususally play in a loose game (can be very loose) with 4-5 upwards seeing the flop.


I raise with:


A23x

A24x

A25x Suited

A2HH Suited


HH - are two high cards.


I don't raise with any non A2 hand or any high hand.


What do you think?

"What hands to you raise in the blinds for value?"


Folding Pete - Before the flop, I don't raise much for value, but sometimes I do. Confused? That's the idea.


"I more or less raise with the same hands I raise with in late position."


When I raise (before the flop) in late position, it is usually to try to intimidate the blinds and maybe some opponents. I tend not to do it with A-2-X-X hands, although sometimes I might do it with the hands you mentioned, and for value.


"I raise with:

A23x

A24x

A25x Suited

A2HH Suited

HH - are two high cards.

I don't raise with any non A2 hand or any high hand.

What do you think?"


Do you play against the same opponents when you play? If so, do you suppose some of them think about the kind of hands you raise with and the kind of hands you call with? If your opponents don't think about what you're doing, then IMHO what you're doing is very reasonable. However, if your opponents do think about what you're doing, do you suppose that by raising or not raising before the flop with specific hand types - by always playing the same hand the same way - you're telegraphing your hand to observant opponents?


Knowing when an opponent doesn't have something is as useful to me as knowing when he does. By raising pre-flop the way you do, with your prescribed list of raising hands, do you suppose an intelligent opponent might know with reasonable certainty when you do or do not hold A-2-X-X?


Put the shoe on the other foot. Do you notice what kinds of hands your opponents raise with and don't raise with? If so, is that information useful to you later (or immediately) in the hand?


I think what you should do usually depends on your opponents. With unsophisticated opponents I think your prescribed list of pre-flop raising hands is fine.


Just my opinion.


Buzz

I dont like raising from the blinds in any Omaha game unless its Pot Limit and you can put in a BIG reraise.


And i agree totally with Buzz that you telegraph your hand here, and i would tend to never put in the first raise in a cash limit game from the blinds.

As Buzz mentioned, your raises scream A2. Try a raise the next time you get four good high cards. If a high flop comes, an astute player will make a move and you can trap him. Tons of fun...


Keep on raising,


Raising Mack