Another online article re: PLO8

[binions]

Some of the advice seems a little weird to me. Thoughts?

http://www.pokermafia.com/index.php?...id=6&id=40

[JoshuaMayes]

[ QUOTE ]
Some of the advice seems a little weird to me. Thoughts?

http://www.pokermafia.com/index.php?...id=6&id=40

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I'll go a little farther and opine that some of the advice is flat-out wrong. In contrast to his unsupported assertion that the best PLO8 hands contain no pairs, according to PTO AA with a wheel card is an absolute EV powerhouse. Similarly A2XX and A3XX where XX is a big pair are monsters. In other words, in my experience, the best hands in PLO8 do contain pairs. Don't get me wrong, A236 is a great starting hand, but I will take A2KK over it any day.

He conveniently doesn't mention how one of the easiest ways to stack off an opponent is to flop an overfull v. trips/underfull and to bet out with it. Big sets that fill up or hold up make me a lot of money in PLO8.

In his section on playing high only hands, he recommends as "key" only four high card hands that DO NOT CONTAIN A PAIR. In other words, KKQQ and QQJT are not "key" high card hands, whatever that means. Apparently, the author does not value big full houses or big sets but loves big straight draws and top two pair hands. I can't understand his obsession with no-pair hands, and my PTO stats simply don't aggree with his assertions.

[Wintermute]

I believe Russ Georgiev is an experienced professional poker player, so I'd imagine his strategy was developed through playing PLO8 with other professional (read: good) players. Althouh his tight/cautious strategy may be optimal for a game with nothing but strong, thinking players, IMO it's decidedly sub-optimal for a common internet PLO8 game. From what I have seen through PTO and by experience, a more aggressive approach is more lucrative, assuming one doesn't mind the increased variance. This is basically the same way I view Steve Badger's PLO8 strategy; probably correct for a game full of pros (I wouldn't know personally), but too tight/scared for a typical internet game.

Still, I think Georgiev's article (as well as Steve's) makes some good, intersting points; I just wouldn't recommend applying his advice blindly in an online game against relatively weak players.

[DyessMan89]

Too lazy to read it right now, but Ill add it to my favorites.

Great points made by the above 2 posters.

[emptyshell]

Russ G is an admitted cheat. Although his website seems to indicate that was in his past, his RGP posts indicate that it is still his primary method of gaining (stealing) money playing poker. You can read his website for arguments that you agree with but don't trust anything that he writes.

[binions]

[ QUOTE ]

Russ G is an admitted cheat. Although his website seems to indicate that was in his past, his RGP posts indicate that it is still his primary method of gaining (stealing) money playing poker. You can read his website for arguments that you agree with but don't trust anything that he writes.

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While Russ may be a cheater, I don't see how that impedes an assessment of his strategy article.

I mean, cheaters can be solid players too, right?

To say "he's a cheater, I don't trust anything he says" is kind of childish.

[emptyshell]

You misread my reply. To "trust" what he says would be foolish. If you agree with his reasoning, that's a different story. The fact that he makes his money cheating, as opposed to playing poker, should be taken into account during your reading, especially if you encounter a strategy that seems surprising. You should also stay vigilant to make sure he's not purposefully leading you astray, which is a definite possibility for someone who is known to be unethical. That's the point I was trying to make clear.

[Tailgunner]

I'd take anything coming from this guy as suspicious. When I first started reading these forums a couple years ago he was dropping a lot imflammatory and rediculous garbage, under several aliases, quite frequently. Though he usually had some basis in fact or solid theory (the better to deceive the ignorant or foolish) most of his nonsense wasn't worth the electrons burned posting it.