My PLO Strategy

Quick, let’s say you’re dealt 10-7-6-4 (rainbow) in middle position. No one has raised. What do you do?
Far too many players fold here. If you raise, you can 1: Pick up the blinds or 2: get called or re-raised. However, this hand and other so called “rags” can make you a lot of money in Pot-Limit Omaha (Note: Rags, for the purpose of this column are hands like 9-9-7-5 or 8-7-5-J).
If no one calls you, great, because then you’ve stolen the blinds and added to your win total. It may not be much, but does more money ever hurt?
Now, if you get called or re-raised, assume your opponent has better than you. However, in Omaha, this doesn’t mean much. If your opponent has a big pair (kings, queens, or aces) you’re only a 2-1 underdog. This is negative EV, right? Wrong. If you miss, you can fold or bluff. I recommend bluffing, because if the flop misses your opponent, can he call with one pair? And if he hits top set, you can either fold or continue if you have a draw, which he’s likely to pay off because you showed your previous bluffs like a good little dooby, didn’t you?
Against a big wrap, you’re a 3-1 dog. But not really. It is likely that your opponent will not continue after the flop unless he has top two pair or a straight draw. So again, if your opponent misses, you can bluff him, because it’s awful hard to call a pot-sized bet with no pair.
But the most profit from this play comes when you get all your chips in on a favorable flop. If you keep showing your bluffs, you opponents will likely raise with one pair. There is a certain rhythm to doing this. You have to time it so as your opponents go on tilt and start playing back, you have a hand, either a set or a straight. Also, if you flop a wrap with a small flush draw, you can get all your money in against top set as a small favorite. Vice-versa if you have a set versus a wrap draw.
And yet more profit comes from showing down these hands because people will no longer respect your bets. This then becomes a classic changing gears situation where as people loosen their starting requirements, you tighten up and drag monster pots with top full, nut flushes and straights, etc.
Therefore, it is clear that playing so-called “rags” can be extremely profitable. They cause win money in their own right, and can win you lots of extra bets in the future. For example, look at Sammy Farha: he definitely plays these hands, yet many consider him to be the best Pot-Limit-Omaha player in the world. At the very least, it’ll be hilarious when your opponent turns over top set and you turn over… J-9-7-6 for the nut straight.

Please post me some feedback.

[josie_wales]

Hey,

FIRST:
One of your points is that by raising with trash, you can pick up the blinds.

My thoughts are (1) the blinds are quite small compared to average pot sizes and fairly insignificant and

(2) If you are the first to raise, not many people will fold. At least in the games I play in

SECOND: Please use paragraphs as it makes it easier to read. Many probably will not even read your post as a result.

THIRD: I disagree with showing your bluffs.

FOURTH: I guess we all have our strategies, but I personally feel that yours can get you into trouble.

jw

[PorscheNGuns]

Raise with rags, and hope to hit...and if you don't hit, bluff.

This strategy is total garbage.

-Matt

[Marnixvdb]

Just like in holdem, playing a loose-aggressive style in PLO can be very profitable - as most of your opponents are either weak or do not have a good postflop game.

You need a very sharp postflop game yourself though, to force your opponents into making big errors, and to not fall for the traps they will try to set on you.

Marnix

(Sorry about the paragraphs or lack thereof. I am a first time poster).

I have one thing to say to Josie Wales: You're calling what Daniel Negreanu does garbage. I play roughly the same style as him in my holdem and Omaha.
In other words, I m a megalomaniac. But I am not just some random maniac. The difference betwen a magalo and a maniac is thus: a megalo is smart whereas a maniac would be better off playing blackjack. I can make laydowns, but I like to gamble more with hands like the aforementioned "rags" and suited connectors, of course.

And, at this point I'm testing out different strategies so eventually I'll have a lot of gearsto shift through.

[PorscheNGuns]

You don't understand (1) the difference between Omaha and Texas Holdem, (2) tournament strategy vs. cash game strategy, (3) the inherent flaw in bluffing bad players, in either tournament OR cash games, and (4) the flaw in bluffing in Pot Limit Omaha in general, especially as an established Modus Op.

There are several good books, Pot Limit Omaha and Pot and No Limit Holdem come to mind, which you should read over a few times to form a solid strategy for winning at cash Omaha. Also comb through these forums.

-Matt

[liquid]

[ QUOTE ]
In other words, I m a megalomaniac. But I am not just some random maniac. The difference betwen a magalo and a maniac is thus: a megalo is smart whereas a maniac would be better off playing blackjack.

[/ QUOTE ]

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

[img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Spellmen]

meg·a·lo·ma·ni·a ( P ) Pronunciation Key (mg-l-mn-, -mny)
n.
A psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence.
An obsession with grandiose or extravagant things or actions.

I don't think he knows how to use it either [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]