I cant win on Party Poker

[toots]

That's Omaha, I guess.

I loosened up a bit last night. More importantly:

1) My luck changed
2) I found a table with one maniac and six people who'd call anything

I love maniacs. Even had him at the virtual seat to my right. Three button orbits later, and I've won back everything I lost in the last week.

Come to think of it, I think the table selection beat the luck change.

I mean:

I can't think of any juicier confluence than O8, maniac and a half dozen calling stations.

Few things beat the satisfaction of scooping a 33BB pot. Especially when done right after scooping a 25BB pot.

[GeoffM]

I'm fairly new to this site, but I have played O8 for the past 6 months.

First thing I must say, is that unlike hold'em, you guys are paying too much attention to the stats. O8 is a 4 card hand game, and with 4 cards comes thousands of more different starting hands than merely 220.

That being said, the variance can be outrageously high. Sometimes I'll sit down and catch a run of about 12 consecutive fantastic hands, and then take a stretch where about 8 hands suck.

That being said, some of my best sessions online (50BB in 1 hour I once won), I saw somewhere in the area of 65% of the flops that session. It was 6 handed, and I find that if you can re-value your hand to adjust to the 6 handed game, you will be miles ahead. Often people play much too tight or much too loose on these tables given it is short-handed.

Another thing I want to add, although I'm sure many of you know this, is that there is a general consensus among many online O8ers that a pre-flop raise is a terrible thing to do, and God will strike down upon thee. I think in late position or even mid-position with a good hand, popping in a raise or ramming and jamming, you will have all the so-so players calling that extra bet to see a flop. I have noticed that many on 10 handed tables (especially low limits) will play 2 or 3 card hands. This is a nono on 10 handed tables. You HAVE to have all 4 cards working for you if you have any expectation of a scoop don't we all). Don't be afraid to fold A2 rag rag, UNLESS that A is suited, as IMO suited Aces are a diamond in this game.

Now, in a 6 handed game, playing a 3 card hand with a rag is absolutely acceptable, and in most cases I'll raise with 3 to the wheel (especially with a suited A).

My point, pay less attention to your stats, more attention to your hand selection, and you will win more often than not.

[Mr_J]

"Few things beat the satisfaction of scooping a 33BB pot."

Yeh good scoops really do make the difference. The only hand I was in that got alot of action (ie at least 4 on the turn/river) was when I made the nut full house with around 7-8 seeing the flop, worth around 22BB. Apart from that didn't do much scooping (a few smaller pots). Most of my session was treading water winning lows to split. Maybe that was the problem, I wasn't scooping enough or the pots just weren't large enough (people might've been too tight/passive). Just never hit my draws. I also probally wasn't playing high cards very well (think I hardly ever saw a flop with a good high only hand).

I'd say overall I played ok. I could play better, but you can't apply everything you have learned immediately. It takes time, so hopefully my consistency will improve along with what I learn, which will lead to $$$$ [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[gergery]

[ QUOTE ]
My point, pay less attention to your stats, more attention to your hand selection, and you will win more often than not.

[/ QUOTE ]

The two aren’t mutually exclusive. Reviewing how you played particular hands is one of the best ways to improve. Within that,
-- paying attention to your post-flop play is most important.
-- paying attention to hand selection (preflop) is next most important.
-- paying attention to your stats, when they have a reasonable amount of statistical validity, is a valuable tool in guiding you towards WHICH hands you should be reviewing to improve both your post-flop play and your hand selection.

--Greg

[chaos]

Two suggestions

Review your play out of the blinds. You may be getting large pot odds to complete the small blind or call a raise from the big blind. But you need to be thinking of making the nuts in loose games. Often the chances of getting a nut making flop are worse than your pot odds.

You also might be going too far with marginal hands. The extra bets you spend taking a card off add up.

[pokerswami]

[ QUOTE ]
Sometimes I'll sit down and catch a run of about 12 consecutive fantastic hands, and then take a stretch where about 8 hands suck.

[/ QUOTE ]
I just want to do my 2+2 civic duty and warn any less than veteran O8/B players about this statement.

"a stretch where about 8 hands suck"
THIS IS NOTHING.
GET IT - NOTHING!
EIGHT BAD O8/B HANDS IN A ROW IS NOTHING!!!

If you ever want to make a profit at loose game Omaha 8/B you better get used to folding pre-flop over and over and over again.

I really hate to clue my potential opponents in, but these forums have helped me so much that I feel obligated to give back, at least occasionally.

Once your pre-flop play is disciplined, your next most important skill is table selection. This includes leaving if and when the table becomes other than loose and at least nearly full.

good luck, and don't tell anyone else where you learned how to play... please