O8 -playing tight and speaking of old-timers

[bodie]

I spend the last two days playing O8 at a local casino, trying to practice playing tight/aggressive and staying focused. It became quite annoying when I began to see that many of the "old" guys (that some of you were mentioning yesterday) were winning ALOT playing very odd hands. Hands that none of the books would ever say to keep. They would play them aggressively too, so the pots would get big - these could be hands which (once they were turned over and I could see them) hadn't even flopped well. Or were really longshot draws. I don't get it. Am I missing something?
I did okay - was ahead the whole time, though never as far ahead as they were!
Point and question number 2: How volatile do you think this game is, as far as "profit"? I've heard some of you mentioning this game as a good profit game, but would that be when there are fish at the table? Because I watched everyone's stacks for the two days, and even those whose stacks got large would also tend to lose the whole thing, or big portions of it before they'd build them up again. is this typical of the game?
Thanks.

[Ghazban]

Well, as you noticed, playing those garbage hands resulted in big swings for those guys. At times, they'd be way ahead but then there were times they were way behind. By being more selective with your hands and getting away early from hands that don't have the odds to continue, you cut your losses but also miss out on some big pots you might've backdoored your way into.

I believe that, by playing tight-aggressive, you win more of the pots you're involved in than someone who's gambling it up. You increase your stack size fairly slowly compared to the lucky guy who keeps hitting his Q962 hands hard but you're also staying way ahead of the other guy whose similar garbage keeps missing.

[bodie]

thanks Ghazban,
It really seemed like they weren't missing at all yesterday. I'm talking a few hundred dollars in around three hands or so. Annoying - I watched the hands carefully and I found that if I would have played very questionable ones, almost every time they WOULDN'T have worked out. The hands I saw being played typically could be something like: 5,7,8,Q. Or ones like the one you mentioned. Another thing I found myself doing was not staying in if it was a longshot low, where you're going for 1/2 the pot if lucky - and then one of them would make the low with the A,6, or A, 8 which I had also had and dumped. But I can't justify staying in on those. Do you agree?
My weakness is wanting to stay in on hands where I have A,x suited, or pairs. I love pairs, but I've gotten pretty good at dumping them if they're the only thing in the hand.

[Buzz]

[ QUOTE ]
I spend the last two days playing O8 at a local casino, trying to practice playing tight/aggressive and staying focused.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bodie - I’m not exactly sure what you mean by “aggressive,” but “tight” is a good way to start - and staying focused is a given.

[ QUOTE ]
It became quite annoying when I began to see that many of the "old" guys (that some of you were mentioning yesterday) were winning ALOT playing very odd hands. Hands that none of the books would ever say to keep.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes indeed, you’ve been there and seen it for yourself! But were the old guys the only ones who were playing that way?

Actually, old guys come in all types, just as young people do.

[ QUOTE ]
“They would play them aggressively too, so the pots would get big - these could be hands which (once they were turned over and I could see them) hadn't even flopped well. Or were really longshot draws. I don't get it. Am I missing something?”

[/ QUOTE ]

Often I don’t get it either. I wonder what people are thinking who aggressively bet trash. I don’t know if we’re missing something or not. You probably simply observed poor play.

[ QUOTE ]
I did okay - was ahead the whole time, though never as far ahead as they were!

[/ QUOTE ]

Congratulations on your win.

Buzz

[bodie]

Hi Buzz,

"Bodie - I’m not exactly sure what you mean by “aggressive,” but “tight” is a good way to start - and staying focused is a given."

I meant that if I was playing a hand that I liked, I would play aggressively, rather than just check or call - which is something more new for me, as I was tending to be more passive, since I always think that someone at the table has whatever possible hand is better than mine - it's happened to me too often - I'll have nut full house and someone has quads, etc.

Regarding "old" men, I was only using that term in response to some others who were talking about a group of "oldtimers" who seemed to be really experienced, and the poster was wondering if he should play with them because the men were good players. When I was playing the other day, actually the whole table was made up of older players who seemed to all know each other mostly and seemed experienced. Most of the younger guys who did sit down seemed a lot more hesitant, and eventually left busted out.
However, I mean no disrespect to anyone older, who of course all are differing individuals anyway. (And I'm no spring chicken myself, might I add, unfortunately.)

[Easy E]

Regarding "old" men, I was only using that term in response to some others who were talking about a group of "oldtimers" who seemed to be really experienced, and the poster was wondering if he should play with them because the men were good players. When I was playing the other day, actually the whole table was made up of older players who seemed to all know each other mostly and seemed experienced.

I think this is the key- since hand strength preflop is not as large a gap in Omaha/8 as it is in HE, post-flop play is key. Their raising may disguise one of two things:

- They DON'T know what they're doing and are getting lucky

- They know how to play post-flop very well and how to best take advantage of mistakes by others.