O/8 general question

[bailey37902]

Hello to all. First off a little background...I've been playing hold 'em for years, but I've only recently gotten caught up in the internet poker craze. I would consider myself a pretty competent hold 'em player (who doesn't?) but am just starting to get into all the other games available on the online sites. Specifically, omaha/8 seems quite interesting. Again, I'm just beginning to play regularly, but it seems to me that there is less pre-flop strategy compared to hold-em, but maybe a little more to consider post-flop. I could be completely wrong about that, and actually it's not what my question is about anyway.

My question pertains to playing ring games versus sng's when playing o/8. I play on Party (flame away) and in hold ‘em would usually play either 3/6 or $30 sng’s. I know I’m not at that point yet in my o/8 play, but am just curious where the better chance to make money is (or in my case, where I might loose the least while I learn the game). Any advice, comments, or anything else is appreciated.

Since I don’t post regularly I’m going to throw this out there too, and let me have it if I’m missing something. I’ve read in more than a few posts the complaints about the poor quality of play, especially at Party Poker. I think I’m just stating the obvious, but even though you’re going to get screwed by a terrible call from a terrible player once in a while, wouldn’t you want the average quality of the nine people you’re sitting with to be as poor as possible? Over the long run, wouldn’t that guarantee you the most money, regardless of your skill level?

Thanks!

[Yads]

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Again, I'm just beginning to play regularly, but it seems to me that there is less pre-flop strategy compared to hold-em, but maybe a little more to consider post-flop.

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Ahh, see majority of players thinking this is why Omaha 8 is so profitable. You have it completely backwards, pre flop is where Omaha 8 is won or lost. Good hand selection is paramount in Omaha 8. Post flop decisions are usually pretty cut and dried. It's only when you limp in with trash hands that you get yourself into "interesting" predicaments. Search this forum for good starting hand recomendations. This game is definitely beatable and for a higher per 100 hands rate than holdem. Good luck.

[benfranklin]

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Again, I'm just beginning to play regularly, but it seems to me that there is less pre-flop strategy compared to hold-em, but maybe a little more to consider post-flop.

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Holdem is much more of a postflop game, O/8 is much more of a preflop game. As Sklansky says somewhere, O/8 is a game of hand evaluation, HE is a game of psychology. Starting hands are critical in O/8, much more so than in HE. In HE, you can win with a marginal starting hand if you can outplay your opponents post flop. You cannot do that in O/8. Play on the turn and river in O/8 is usually pretty much routine.

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My question pertains to playing ring games versus sng's when playing o/8.

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I have just started playing O/8 SnGs at Party, and find the play there to be just as loose as at ring games. One problem is that O/8 SnGs at Party are limit, which means that they usually take longer to complete then NL HE SnGs. Usually, no one busts out on the first 2-3 levels. Since SnGs have a lower variance than ring games, they can be a good place for a beginner to gain experience. At Party O/8, the first 2-3 levels play the same as ring games.

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I’ve read in more than a few posts the complaints about the poor quality of play, especially at Party Poker.

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Many people complain that they could do better if the bad players weren't playing so many hands and drawing out on them. They don't seem to understand that for every time a bad player draws out on you, there are 4-5 other hands where he is putting dead money in the pot chasing those draws. This is the Fundamental Theorem of Poker: even if you lose the pot, you gain when an opponent incorrectly plays to the end and hits his hand. If you can't beat these fish, you can't beat good players who "respect your bets".

[soundgarden4]

There are Pot Limit SnG's for O/8 on Empire. I don't usually play them, but every so often I'll venture in there and play a 30. I'm not sure if the lower levels, (5,10,20 dollar) have the pot limit variety, but I would assume so.

The play there is usually pretty bad and I think you could make a nice profit playing tight early on. The only problem with the 30's is that they don't run on a super consistent basis, meaning you probably couldn't 4 table them, starting each one at teh same time, but you could possibly stagger them 10 or 15 minutes apart.

kevin

[gergery]

I would play microlimit ring games to learn, for the reasons mentioned already

[Moneyline]

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Again, I'm just beginning to play regularly, but it seems to me that there is less pre-flop strategy compared to hold-em, but maybe a little more to consider post-flop

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I think most here would agree that the opposite is true. Hand selection can be quite difficult. You basically want to play very tight, but it's hard to know which hands show a profit besides the ones that are obviously really good. There is a lot to consider pre-flop. I think most would agree that post-flop is a bit simpler in 08 than in hold 'em. In many cases it's just a matter of pot odds (even though with all the possible draws out there this can get quite tricky at times.) There is a lot more to postflop play (obviously), many concepts are different from hold 'em and I can tell you from experience that it can be tough learning them. In general, however, I think it's easier to learn how to play postflop in 08 than in hold 'em.

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I know I’m not at that point yet in my o/8 play, but am just curious where the better chance to make money is (or in my case, where I might loose the least while I learn the game).

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I would definitely start with ring games. IMO there is much more profit here b/c more players last until crapshoot time in the 1 table tournaments, thus decreasing your earn.

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even though you’re going to get screwed by a terrible call from a terrible player once in a while, wouldn’t you want the average quality of the nine people you’re sitting with to be as poor as possible? Over the long run, wouldn’t that guarantee you the most money, regardless of your skill level?


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I agree 100%

[dlk9s]

Playing off the pre-flop/post-flop play, I personally find O8 easier to multi-table because the play is more mathematical post-flop (full disclosure: I play limit), so I don't need to concentrate as hard throughout entire hands. Additionally, most hands get raked, even at micro-limits, so O8 is wonderful for earning bonuses.

[benfranklin]

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Hand selection can be quite difficult. You basically want to play very tight, but it's hard to know which hands show a profit besides the ones that are obviously really good. There is a lot to consider pre-flop.

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Here is a place to start: Preflop ABCs

[bailey37902]

Thanks guys, I've obviously got a lot to learn, these posts have helped tremendously. Somewhat of a follow up question...

IMO, the play in hold 'em on Party changes noticeably moving from 2/4 to 3/6, don’t really know why. What I mean is going from 1/2 to 2/4 doesn’t seem to bring better players to the table, just players with more money. But it seems when going from 2/4 to 3/6 the quality of play does improve. Maybe it’s my imagination. So I was wondering if...

A) If anyone has noticed the same and
B) If anyone has food for thought on this subject as it relates to o/8 (specifically on Party, but I would be interested in general)

Thanks again,

lil’ fish


PS - I meant lose, not loose, in the first post - drives me crazy when I do that