Calling all PLO/8 experts

[rtrombone]

I just started playing PLO/8 sit & gos as a change of pace. I've played limit O/8, PLO and both forms of stud but PLO/8 threw me for a loop at first. I think I'm getting the hang of it but I'd like to run some thoughts by the experts.

Differences between limit O/8 and PLO/8:

(1) You can play more hands in PLO/8. Particularly hands with good high potential like big pairs and Axs. In limit O/8 you would like all four cards to be working but the tremendous implied odds in PLO/8 allow you to be looser preflop. Assuming you play well postflop, of course.

(2) High hands have more value than in limit O/8 because you're a lot less likely to be quartered with a high hand. In pot-limit, being quartered (or worse) hurts a lot more than in limit O/8.

(3) Low hands have less value than in limit O/8. You can't feel too good about putting all your money in with just a low hand, particularly if you may get counterfeited.

(4) As in PLO, it's often ok to wait until the turn before you commit your chips (unless you have a very strong two-way hand). This is different from limit O/8 where there can be a ton of action on the flop. Similarly, no hand is that big a favorite over another preflop.

Is this pretty much right or is there something I'm missing?

[Iceman]

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I just started playing PLO/8 sit & gos as a change of pace. I've played limit O/8, PLO and both forms of stud but PLO/8 threw me for a loop at first. I think I'm getting the hang of it but I'd like to run some thoughts by the experts.

Differences between limit O/8 and PLO/8:

(1) You can play more hands in PLO/8. Particularly hands with good high potential like big pairs and Axs. In limit O/8 you would like all four cards to be working but the tremendous implied odds in PLO/8 allow you to be looser preflop. Assuming you play well postflop, of course.

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I disagree. In limit O-8 it's more important to have specific strong combinations (A2, A3, AA, KK...) in your hand than to have a connected hand. Non-nut redraws have very little value in limit since the nut draw will usually be out there, and even if you hit you can't play your hand strongly. In pot-limit non-nut redraws are more important - they give you the ability to 3/4 or freeroll your opponent in a huge heads-up pot, and so you focus more on hands with all four cards connected. But yes, in general if the money is deep and there's no raise you can play a lot more hands in pot-limit, since the potential reward is very high compared to the small amount you're risking.

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(2) High hands have more value than in limit O/8 because you're a lot less likely to be quartered with a high hand. In pot-limit, being quartered (or worse) hurts a lot more than in limit O/8.

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High hands mostly suck in limit Omaha-8. Even if you hit the flop, you can easily be outdrawn, and if your hand does hold up you usually only win all of a small pot or half of a large one. In pot-limit, you can protect your hand from draws on a high card board, or charge the lows to draw on a 2-low card board. Being the high against two lows can be very profitable in pot-limit.

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(3) Low hands have less value than in limit O/8. You can't feel too good about putting all your money in with just a low hand, particularly if you may get counterfeited.

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While A2 or A3 and nothing else sucks in pot-limit, do keep in mind that much weaker high hands can win as opposed to limit. An made nut low with top pair or an overpair is often a strong hand.

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(4) As in PLO, it's often ok to wait until the turn before you commit your chips (unless you have a very strong two-way hand). This is different from limit O/8 where there can be a ton of action on the flop. Similarly, no hand is that big a favorite over another preflop.

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If people know what they're doing there usually isn't much action on the flop, but if people know what they're doing in PLO-8 you should probably find a different game. Hands usually don't differ by much preflop, but IIRC any AAxy has the advantage all-in preflop over any hand without aces, and AA2x does have the advantage over dry aces (and if x is low does have a significant edge over hands like KKyz or A234), so I'd be reluctant to go all-in when the money is deep without strong aces.

[cottonmather0]

Yep, as with any big bet game you can afford to be slightly looser before the flop because the implied odds are so high if you ever do make a hand. Limping loosely is good, calling raises without very strong cards is very bad.

That said, don't play just any hand - stick to hands that have a strong chance of being nut hands if they hit: A2 and A3, middle and high pairs (ie Full House possiblities), various face card combinations towards the broadway straight, suited aces, and suited connectors (straight flush possibilities). Then fold if you don't hit the flop or get counterfeited. Patience is key as is learning to throw away non-nut but tempting hands.

The difference with limit O8 is simply the implied odds and thus some of the weaker hands (ie middle pairs and middle suited connectors) won't pay off as richly (though they will hit just as often) and thus shouldn't be played when the betting is capped.