Considering Semi-Pro Omaha 8 Limit-Where Should I Play?

[grandgnu]

Hey everyone. Right now I run home poker tournaments, but after many years, it's become a real big hassle to play host and try and play.

The closest casino to me is 100 miles away (Foxwoods) and they usually only have one Omaha 8 table to select from, either running 2-4 or 5-10 (with a kill)

Granted, I can play Hold Em and 7-stud as well, but was considering trying to go semi-pro playing mostly Omaha 8 or better.

I figure there are plenty of fish out there who play this game, but was hoping some of you could point me in the right direction.

What poker sites online should I play at, and what limits do you recommend?

I won't be quitting my day job, but I'll probably be dumping my home games after I'm married in October, and just trying to figure out where to go from there.

The limits I'd likely start at (considering a 200-300bb starting bankroll) would be 2/4, 3/6 or maybe 5-10. Thanks for any advice. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[PokerProdigy]

I heard that in Omaha/8 you don't need a 200-300 BB bankroll because there is less fluctuations in the game. I heard you only need like 150 BB's. Anyone who agrees or disagrees with this let me know, and please justify why you agree/disagree.

[grandgnu]

[ QUOTE ]
I heard that in Omaha/8 you don't need a 200-300 BB bankroll because there is less fluctuations in the game. I heard you only need like 150 BB's. Anyone who agrees or disagrees with this let me know, and please justify why you agree/disagree.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the response. I had considered that as well, although it never hurts to be overbankrolled, but it can certainly hurt if you're under.

I'm really looking for what sites and limits are the juciest. I'm figuring the Party Skins, but wasn't sure. Was going to consider a rakeback deal as well.

[PokerProdigy]

Well, would you let me know when you do find out which rakeback and sites to use, because I want to do the same thing.

[grandgnu]

[ QUOTE ]
Well, would you let me know when you do find out which rakeback and sites to use, because I want to do the same thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's going to be awhile. Not getting married until October, and want to make sure my debts are settled prior to beginning this foray. So I'm being pro-active and doing my homework now.

[PokerProdigy]

That's definitely a smart idea.

[benfranklin]

[ QUOTE ]
but I'll probably be dumping my home games after I'm married in October, and just trying to figure out where to go from there.

[/ QUOTE ]

In the O/8 game of life, women are the rake.

[gergery]

[ QUOTE ]
In the O/8 game of life, women are the rake.

[/ QUOTE ]

That sounds strangely familiar.....

I'd stick with Party skins. The players there at 5-10 and below are pretty fishy.

I also play Stars and it is also fishy but perhaps not quite as bad, but there is MUCH less table selection.

Pacific has been mentioned here as a good alternative to Party, but I haven't tried it.

--G

[grandgnu]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
In the O/8 game of life, women are the rake.

[/ QUOTE ]

That sounds strangely familiar.....

I'd stick with Party skins. The players there at 5-10 and below are pretty fishy.

I also play Stars and it is also fishy but perhaps not quite as bad, but there is MUCH less table selection.

Pacific has been mentioned here as a good alternative to Party, but I haven't tried it.

--G

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the home games irritate her more than online play. I'd just have to make sure I budget/schedule my time accordingly so that she gets to see me as well.

I usually only work 32 hours per week, by choice. Life is too short to spend it working 70 hours a week. She's going to be starting a part-time job soon, so that will help give her some outside activities.

So anyway, I normally have Thursday-Saturday off. I'm usually holding games on Saturday nights. If I set aside one or two days to play (since I'm only going semi-pro) and maybe 4-8 hour time slots total, that should be a good start.

Provided it supplies us with additional income we didn't have, she'll go along with it if it's helping us to live. If I'm stressed out all the time, ignoring her and having trouble with the budget, well, that's another story.

But I'm the type to mostly only purchase with cash, and use little credit to avoid any problems. So I'm pretty level headed and think I'll be ok.

I think I played Planet Poker and made a few hundred bucks quick at 3/6, but the site was dead for the most part, so it was hard to find action back then.

[JoshuaMayes]

Party Poker & Skins have the best game selection and weakest players.

[Ironman]

While I agree that Party has by far the biggest selection of tables, I feel that you need to monitor the tables pretty closely as they can become rather "sharky" at times.

Not a lot...but it does happen.

I play at both Party and Ultimate Bet. Last night there was 1 table being played at 1/2 and 2 tables at 2/4 at the UB site. I'm sure there were probably 10 tables in both limits at party. But with all that said, I decided to sit at the UB tables because of the players.

By the way, I don't think I would be really quick to get rid of the home games. They are usually much more profitable than the online games.

[grandgnu]

[ QUOTE ]
While I agree that Party has by far the biggest selection of tables, I feel that you need to monitor the tables pretty closely as they can become rather "sharky" at times.

Not a lot...but it does happen.

I play at both Party and Ultimate Bet. Last night there was 1 table being played at 1/2 and 2 tables at 2/4 at the UB site. I'm sure there were probably 10 tables in both limits at party. But with all that said, I decided to sit at the UB tables because of the players.

By the way, I don't think I would be really quick to get rid of the home games. They are usually much more profitable than the online games.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've heard UB isn't so profitable, from what I've read online.

As far as the home games. I'm only holding No Limit Hold 'Em tournaments. I wasn't able to get enough interest to keep stud, stud hi/lo and omaha hi/lo games going (cash or tourney)

And it's a PITA to be the host all the time. It can be frustrating, time consuming and just plain stressful. And we're only playing up to 16 players with buy-ins from $20-$100, so it isn't THAT profitable. I've done alright, but it's time to hang up the hat and focus my efforts elsewhere.

[toots]

Sorry I've been consistently too lazy to drive down to Boston for your home game. Sounds like you were trying for a really great game selection, only to be taken down by the minions of ADHD Hold 'Em Chihuahuas.

[grandgnu]

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Sorry I've been consistently too lazy to drive down to Boston for your home game. Sounds like you were trying for a really great game selection, only to be taken down by the minions of ADHD Hold 'Em Chihuahuas.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nah, my home games have been profitable for me, so far at least. I'm currently 1 point away from securing the top spot on the tournament leader board (against a LAG who min-raises with A/10 offsuit in EP, then when I pop it to 800 with my K/K he pushes all-in after everyone folds and catches running clubs for his 10 to make a flush)

It's just the hassle of running the home games. With 100+ email contacts, and updating the website, setting up a schedule, dealing with last-minute cancellations, setting everything up, the constant bitching from the female unit about this person or that person, or the smoke from outside, etc.

It's just become a pain in my butt. It was fun, but it's time to move on. I'm into poker because I want to make money. And I can make more by going semi-pro online, than holding NL Hold Em tournies every Saturday.

[templar999]

ac would be a bit of a drive for you, but the 4/8 game with a half kill at the borgata is a ridiculously soft game. people raising with a bare straight on the river with 3 flush and pair on board is not uncommon. too bad there's not a regular game going except wednesdays. my last session there i booked a $150 win in 1.5 hours shorthanded. and i suck.

[grandgnu]

[ QUOTE ]
ac would be a bit of a drive for you, but the 4/8 game with a half kill at the borgata is a ridiculously soft game. people raising with a bare straight on the river with 3 flush and pair on board is not uncommon. too bad there's not a regular game going except wednesdays. my last session there i booked a $150 win in 1.5 hours shorthanded. and i suck.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can get to Foxwoods in about 1 and 1/2 hours drive time. But they usually only have one Omaha hi/lo table, either 2/4 or 5/10 with a kill.

There's an old lady named Lorraine that's a gold mine. She'll play anything, and keeps reaching back into her pocketbook for more money.

She flopped top two pair, 10's and 7's (there's some hand selection for ya!) and I had pocket Aces. Wound up catching the nut low, and the board paired 6's on the river, giving me Aces up.

She doesn't understand when she loses, shouting pretty loudly "I have 10's and 7's!!!!" and I show her that I have the nut low and Aces up. She then repeats "but I have 10's and 7's! And I have a low!" I go on to scoop the pot.

But, there isn't much game selection with only one table, and no way of knowing what liimit will be played. And driving that much is a PITA. So, I'll give the online rooms a go, try out some of the software to find the soft players/tables and go with it.

[templar999]

grand,

i've never played at foxwoods, but there are some pretty long threads here about ms. Lorraine. maybe it's just me, but the b&m players are much much worse than the online ones. maybe it's because only 15-20 hands are dealt per hour at the tables and players get increasingly impatient and feel like cold calling raises with K963 offsuit. lovely. good luck to you in your endeavor. come down to the borg if you ever get a chance. i'll have a big red hat on.

[toots]

Hey, the FW $5/10 game is incredibly soft, even without Lorraine. She's just the icing.

But yeah, half the time I'm there, they're only spreading $2/4, and it just ain't worth the rake.

[grandgnu]

[ QUOTE ]
grand,

i've never played at foxwoods, but there are some pretty long threads here about ms. Lorraine. maybe it's just me, but the b&m players are much much worse than the online ones. maybe it's because only 15-20 hands are dealt per hour at the tables and players get increasingly impatient and feel like cold calling raises with K963 offsuit. lovely. good luck to you in your endeavor. come down to the borg if you ever get a chance. i'll have a big red hat on.

[/ QUOTE ]

I much prefer live play vs. online play. But, at least online I don't have to put 200 miles on my car everyday, plus pay for gas, food, tips, etc.

And I can get a rakeback deal online, and utilize software to help find weaker opponents and improve my own game (i.e. find holes)

Hopefully it'll work out, and hopefully all that online play won't turn my brain into mush, to the point I can no longer play live.

[grandgnu]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey, the FW $5/10 game is incredibly soft, even without Lorraine. She's just the icing.

But yeah, half the time I'm there, they're only spreading $2/4, and it just ain't worth the rake.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I only sat down with $225 for the 5/10 with kill. I had never even played a kill game before. I was down to my last $50, and was pretty flustered. But tightened up my play and got myself back up to $278 before leaving the table for a rest.