Posts from June 2009
June
30
If you play Omaha Hi/Lo poker you always want to play against two more players. In most cases, if you play against just one player you will split the pot. So, your amount of chips will stay the same. But, the best scenario will be if you win the whole pot, high and low.
My hole cards in this Omaha Hi/Lo Pot Limit poker hand were Kd-3d-4c-6c. That means double suited for high and 3-4-6 for low. Flop brought me two more diamonds. One more diamond and I will have a Flush. Excellent, turn card was also diamond, so I raised. Since my opponent called, I thought – oh no, it will be split pot again. After the river he called my bet again.
The truth was that I made a mistake. My opponent was going for a high too, and I won the whole pot. I can’t blame him for trying to win high, because he had a flush too. And since just four players were sitting on that table, I would try with his cards too. He was aware of possibilities that maybe I had a better flush, so he never re-raised, but rather just followed my bets. That was a clever move.
Whole Pot - Just for Me
June
29
When you play Omaha Hi/Lo poker it is hard sometimes to figure out who is going for a low and who is going for a high. I had that problem in this Omaha Hi/Lo Limit poker hand. Even though this was a limit game, stakes can be very high.
My hole cards were Qc-2c-5h-10h. Flop brought me three of a kind, Twos. I was so optimistic until my opponents start to raise and raise and raise. I just followed them but I wasn’t sure that three of a kind is worth that much. Card after card, raise after raise, I still had just that three of a kind.
After the river, I needed to decide am I going to fold or am I going all the way until my all in? I stayed in the game after all. And that was a great decision - I won high! One more player was holding a deuce but I had a stronger kicker. This one was very close. I need to say I got lucky.
A Little Bit of Courage and Everything will be Fine
June
28
Sometimes when a new player comes to the table he starts playing his first couple of hands very aggressively. Of course 90% of them have nothing. I witnessed that so many times. But, why are they doing that? I’m not sure. Probably they want to double or triple they chips very fast. And yes, they are new at the table so nobody knows if they are bluffing or they really have something.
I have played at this Omaha Hi Pot Limit poker table for a while. Suddenly a new player arrived. My hole cards were Ah-Ad-4d-5c, and I just wanted to see the flop. Newbie didn’t want that to happen so he raised a whole pot. Fold… fold…fold… hm… If a fold he will be a winner of this hand. How can I call with my cards? I just couldn’t let him take the pot, so I called, and not just that time. I was paying his bets till the end. The worst of all, community cards were very bad for me.
I had three of a kind, Fives and that’s not good if you play Omaha Poker. Newbie had only two pairs, Fives and Twos. OMG. He was bluffing. Well newbie, goodbye, maybe next time we’ll play again.
New Player on the Table Could Bring Trouble
June
27
This was a not so good week on the Omaha Poker tables for our team. However, we captured a couple of poor plays, where stubborn players lost their tournament position due to the lack of understanding of Omaha Poker game. Take a look, you won’t regret it:
Keep reading, there is more to come!
June
27
The poker player learns that sometimes both science and common sense are wrong; that the bumblebee can fly; that, perhaps, one should never trust an expert; that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of by those with an academic bent.
David Mamet
David Mamet is absolutely right. When you’re sweating while waiting for the river card to show up, no knowledge or advice can help you.
June
26
This hand is perfect example how to avoid severe loss of your chips. As you can see, my cards were more or less connected and I had a middle pair to make it even stronger.
Everything went well till the flop. Guys kept raising and re-raising and I folded instantly. I am an optimist, but to wait for another Eight or a straight was jut over my head. However, the guy next to me spiced up this Omaha Hi Pot Limit Poker hand by going all in before the turn! That’s more then rare in Omaha Poker and the pot was already quite high. Big Blind guy called instantly and I was shocked.
Winner of the hand had Full House on the flop, but he didn’t start raising - the guy with darn pocket Aces did. You just don’t do that in Omaha. Without at least one Ace on the table, you can’t win Omaha with A-A! It’s that simple. If you miss a flop - just fold. Please.
Just Forget Your Pocket Aces
June
26
When it comes to turning from No Limit Texas Hold’em to Pot Limit Omaha Hold’em, even experienced Poker Tournament players hit a brick wall. It’s a fact - even though game looks the same, you need to adjust your way of playing. These small differences can lead you from zero to hero and vice versa. Specially if you are used to the most powerful betting weapon you have in No Limit Hold’em games - the all in raise.
It is a common fact that it’s much easier to bet all in, and much more difficult to call it. So, the first player who raises has the significant advantage. This simply won’t work in Pot Limit, the first raiser has only the opportunity to raise the current pot.
In the made up situation, if pot is 4000 chips, and you decide to pot raise, you will be able to bet only additional 4000. However, the next raiser can now bet 8000 chips, which will boost the current pot to 16000. Now you’ll need to call his bet with additional 8000, which will round the pot on 24000. So, in this example with the follow up pot raise, pot is increased 6 times!
Which leads us to a conclusion that second raiser has the advantage in Omaha Poker Pot Limit Hold’em tournaments, equal to the all in in Texas Hold’em!
The sooner you adjust your game tactics, the better.
You can read a thorough analysis of this phenomenon in the great article by Rafe Furst, a Full Tilt Poker pro.
June
25
In this Omaha Hi Pot Limit poker session I noticed that one player was bluffing almost every hand. So, I got involved in this pretty risky hand. I had two pairs on the flop, and my opponent couldn’t push me of the table with his bets. I just knew he was bluffing again. Card after card he was trying again and again, but I stayed till the showdown.
I was right and I won this hand! My lousy two pair, Nines and Sevens beat his funny overpair. What a poor hand for Omaha Poker. Well, that’s the reason why you need to watch your opponents in act – every aspect of their play is important.
Just Bluff Like that and You’ll be Finished Soon
June
24
This Omaha Hi Pot Limit poker hand started like an ordinary hand, but the end was just spectacular. My hole cards were Qh-Jh-Jc-3c. Flop contained two hearts and one more heart would make me very happy. Turn card was beyond expectations. Yes, not just any heart, it was a King of Hearts. There it was again, my Royal Flush. I started rubbing my hands with a smile on my face.
Because having Royal Flush is such a great feeling I will brag about it every single time. Very soon, I hope!
Royal Flush on the Turn
June
23
This was Omaha Hi Pot Limit Poker hand and my hole cards were pretty bad (5-7-9-K) suited. Since nobody raised pre flop I decided to try with these cards. It was an excellent decision, pair of Sevens and one Seven in my hand made me think that my hole cards were good enough. Even if I didn’t think like that when I saw them in the first place.
Player next to me raised, one more player followed, and I cslled. Nine was a turn card. Now I had a full house, Sevens full of Eights. Player next to me raised again. How can I fold a Full House no matter haw crappy it is? So I called and after river I re-raised even if I wasn’t 100% sure that this hand would be mine.
But, at the end whole pot was mine. My crappy Full House won. Well, the aggressive player obviously thought that if you are holding a pair of Aces in your hands you must be a king of the table. LOL.
Keep Losing on Aces
