This is a long post with multiple hands to build context. I can play the lower limits decent enough, been running well lately and would like to make a jump(pathetic at these stakes I know) Is there a better way to play these hands?

Poker Stars $0.10/$0.25 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo - 5 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

CO: $29.25
BTN: $15.80
SB: $13.50
Hero (BB): $9.00
UTG: $7.60

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is BB with 3 4 Q 8
UTG raises to $0.50, 1 fold, BTN calls $0.50, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.25

Flop: ($1.60) A 2 K (3 players)
Hero bets $0.50, UTG calls $0.50, BTN calls $0.50

Turn: ($3.10) T (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $0.50, BTN raises to $1.50, Hero calls $1.50, UTG calls $1

River: ($7.60) Q (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks, BTN bets $1.25, Hero folds, UTG calls $1.25

Final Pot: $10.10
BTN shows 3 2 J Q (HI: a flush, King high)
UTG mucks A 3 2 6
BTN wins $9.65
(Rake: $0.45)

I was in the BB so I figured 1 xtra bet wasn't a big deal. I flop the nut low draw, should I play this more aggressively?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Poker Stars $0.10/$0.25 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo - 5 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

BB: $29.25
UTG: $21.70
CO: $12.15
Hero (BTN): $7.90
SB: $3.60

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is BTN with 3 9 5 2
UTG calls $0.25, CO calls $0.25, Hero calls $0.25, SB calls $0.15, BB checks

Flop: ($1.25) 6 9 9 (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, CO checks, Hero bets $0.75, SB calls $0.75, BB folds, UTG folds, CO folds

Turn: ($2.75) Q (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $1, SB calls $1

River: ($4.75) J (2 players)
SB bets $0.75, Hero calls $0.75

Final Pot: $6.25
Hero mucks 3 9 5 2
SB shows A 7 8 T (HI: a straight, Eight to Queen)
SB wins $5.95
(Rake: $0.30)

Limp from the button with 3 wheel cards....flop was pretty good for me, should I be betting more here?

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Poker Stars $0.10/$0.25 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

MP: $28.00
CO: $8.65
BTN: $22.70
SB: $14.25
Hero (BB): $5.15
UTG: $5.30

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is BB with T 6 5 A
1 fold, MP calls $0.25, CO calls $0.25, 1 fold, SB calls $0.15, Hero checks

Flop: ($1.00) 2 3 5 (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.50, MP folds, CO calls $0.50, SB folds

Turn: ($2.00) 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO checks

River: ($2.00) 6 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $0.75, Hero calls $0.75

Final Pot: $3.50
CO shows 4 5 A Q (HI: a straight, Deuce to Six; LO: 5,4,3,2,A)
Hero mucks T 6 5 A
CO wins $1.70
CO wins $1.65
(Rake: $0.15)

lovely BB hand......I think the only different thing I can do here is fold on the river, but is it equitable?

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Poker Stars $0.10/$0.25 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

UTG: $27.75
MP: $10.50
CO: $22.70
BTN: $14.00
Hero (SB): $3.65
BB: $5.30

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is SB with 6 9 6 8
UTG calls $0.25, MP calls $0.25, CO calls $0.25, BTN calls $0.25, Hero calls $0.15, BB checks

Flop: ($1.50) J 6 T (6 players)
Hero bets $0.50, BB calls $0.50, UTG calls $0.50, MP folds, CO calls $0.50, BTN calls $0.50

Turn: ($4.00) K (5 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, UTG bets $2, CO folds, BTN folds, Hero folds, BB calls $2

River: ($8.00) A (2 players)
BB checks, UTG bets $0.25, BB calls $0.25

Final Pot: $8.50
UTG shows 5 J Q Q (HI: a Royal Flush)
BB mucks 7 K T K
UTG wins $8.10
(Rake: $0.40)

calling from the SB with a crappy hand, flop a set and don't have nearly enough chips to push any draws off on a draw heavy board.....any better plays?

------------------------------------------------------------------

Limped a couple more times and folded to bets then I get this hand that busts me:

Poker Stars $0.10/$0.25 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo - 6 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

CO: $33.60
BTN: $11.75
SB: $19.80
BB: $12.50
Hero (UTG): $1.90
MP: $2.90

Pre Flop: ($0.35) Hero is UTG with T 2 A T
Hero calls $0.25, MP calls $0.25, CO raises to $0.75, 1 fold, SB calls $0.65, BB calls $0.50, Hero raises to $1.90 all in, 1 fold, CO calls $1.15, SB calls $1.15, 1 fold

Flop: ($6.70) Q 7 4 (3 players - 1 is all in)
SB checks, CO checks

Turn: ($6.70) J (3 players - 1 is all in)
SB checks, CO checks

River: ($6.70) 4 (3 players - 1 is all in)
SB checks, CO checks

Final Pot: $6.70
CO shows A T A 4 (HI: three of a kind, Fours)
SB shows 3 5 8 6 (HI: a pair of Fours)
Hero shows T 2 A T (HI: two pair, Tens and Fours)
CO wins $6.40
(Rake: $0.30)

Do you like 2 callers here?

-----------------------------------------------------------

Is this a session I need to chalk up to variance, or am I misunderstanding how to play Omaha HiLo?

You shouldn't post multiple hands on one thread but whatever.

Hand 1: Fold preflop to a raise. Even if u saw the flop for free you should probably check fold the flop because you have only a five for a high hand. If you want to bet the flop you should bet at least $1. When I see a tiny bet like that I put you on exactly what you have. Which, to clarify, isn't much. So I will raise you with the "nut not much".

Hand 2: Fold preflop. Oh wow you have three wheel cards. But you have three of the same suit, a NINE, and it aint even 234x. And with that many callers, at least one of them has the Aces you need. When you have people all folding to you, maybe you can pop it on the button. Other than that, junk junk junk. As for post flop, you discovered someone probably doesnt have a nine but has a draw with your small bet. If they had a nine they would've raised your small bet. So you should bet a larger amount on the turn which is not profitable for them to call. You shouldn't really call on the river despite the ridiculous price you're getting. Raise or fold.

Hand 3: This is not a lovely hand in the BB lol. Its pretty crap full ring, I would play it short handed though. Not really a fan of the bet on the flop. You should check and try to discover whether your low is best by seeing what others do then if it all checks (means they havent got it probably) try to bet on the turn if nobody bets the flop because then its more likely someone hasn't got the nuts. On the river, bless his little cotton socks, he's played it awful and you have to pay it off. I would call that all day, he's made hardly anything. Love the turn check btw.

Hand 4: One of the things about stack sizes is that the less money you have in front of you, the more you should try to go all in with the best hand, especially when there is a lot of big stacks who are looking to speculate. You want to make it theoretically wrong to call you. But they dont have to call you, you just limped on in. Nooooo. With 20 big blinds you should fold this hand, in fact, you should fold it with any number of big blinds behind. You are going to lose with this hand, no question. With a short stack you should raise or fold. In this case, fold. OK so you called. Bet the pot on the flop. I like the fold on the turn.

Hand 5: Well you got yourself into this mess, but you have to move on in with an excellent starting hand. Unlucky, you lost, but you did the right thing.

Buy in with and regularly rebuy to 25$.

I half agree with this. From looking over these hands it looks like OP is playing scared already though. I think the best suggestion is to actually drop back down a level and buyin full. As far as the hands go.

Hand 1. You lead is bad with just the naked nut low draw and a gutshot. The last thing you want is to bet and get raised here. Check calling or check folding are both better depending on how the action goes. If you had the flush draw then by all means betting is good but you have nothing.

Hand 2. You need to bet alot more on the turn.

Hand 3. It seems fine to me.

Hand 4. Fold that trash preflop.

Hand 5. It is fine for having 8 BB but you need to learn to be comfortable with a full stack.

hand one, fold preflop, there is nothing i hate more than callin a min raise oop, jus gets me in trouble, if ur in a hand with a min raise, i m usually reraisin it

hand 2 pot every street. his river bet is obv a scared bet , pot that in a heart beat, and he folds, i pot any scare bets, they are rarely ever traps, esp at this level, u dont need the best hand, top win a pot, jus need to rep a bdetter hand

hand 3 = whatever, i pay it off i guess

hand 4. fold anywhere u can on hand 4

hand 5- whatever, fine

s this a session I need to chalk up to variance, or am I misunderstanding how to play Omaha HiLo?

not even close, im gonna be alil blunt in the hopes it will help u, not one hand was really played well, u limped every preflop or called oop

when u had a weak draw, u basaiclly made a weak bet, when anyone callin u will have better draws, likei i think in hand 4.

u had a 9 in the one, where u should be potting every street vs an obv weak draw. u v bet him in, cause u were scared, than paid him off when he was scared and hit his weak draw. learn to sense weakness, and pot his ass, .75 in 4.75 is not a trap, it is a scared blocker bet.

variance means u get ur hands in good, and live with the results, i jus call this scared playing, fold bb trash even if u are min riased, when u need to hit a miracle flop to continue it jus isnt worth it. loses u money in the long run, hope this helps. gl at the talbe
s

Hi,

You should post each hand individually for easier read / comments.

(I haven’t read others comments yet so just jumping in).

Don’t’ apologize for the limit you play.

I would say you need to have a better grasp of what board textures mean in PLO8 as they complement your pockets.

It seems like you are playing in a vacuum. You need to take into account the texture of the board and how it affects your holdings and most importantly how the flop might have helped or hurt your opponents.

You either check/fold or bet out to define/protect your hand not just bet/call aimlessly.

Below is just my two cents.

Cheers.

HAND 1:

I’m not opposed to calling 1 extra BB bet in this spot.. Flop is precarious given the flush and Broadway draws. As for the flop bet, I would have bet 75c to $1. Any A2 (or any naked A3, A4 A5) is in a precarious position on this flop. You also bet bigger to find out if there are flush draws / Broadways out. This flop more than likely hit a lot of people with both low/high cards represented on this board along with a flush.

The turn your done with the hand You only have $1 invested. You’re not calling anything more on this board with hopes of catching the miracle card for 1/2 the pot. You have no redraws. The Broadway made it and there is a possible flush threat as well come the river.

LOL at BTN not potting this turn allowing bigger flushes, naked trips and / or lows to catch up on river.

HAND 2:

From hands posted it seems to be the loosey goosey table. I’m ambivalent about the pockets but for one bet okay.

Seems this hand is more about know how your opponents play. If you have severe calling stations, I would check this flop.

Flop is ugly. The 9 dangler has no backup here in terms of kicker or further outs. No obvious low on flop as backup “oops” situation.

With all the limpers tough spot. I might either check it or Pot the flop to see if there is another 9 out there or pocket 6s. You bet too little on this flop. I think you either check or Pot it. And Pot turn too. If he’s still around on river oh well.

From the end result, meaning the presence of severe calling stations this was a check to the river type situation unless you made full. Seriously SB calling this flop for any $ amount is ludicrous. with a st8 draw! I wouldn’t even call this flop with nut flush draw given the texture of the board and 1BB invested preflop.

The key being you have 1BB invested.

HAND 3:

Nice pockets in BB but you missed the flop. Check it. It’s not like you had a set along with the 6 low when there is a wheel out. Too many people at PLO8 25 “slow play” the nuts looking to check raise etc. Look how it played out, guy with nuts doesn’t bet and allows a full house to hit on turn. River is such a fold, you don’t have the wheel, the full house or the other st8.

You are done with this hand after you get called on flop; especially when the “caller” bets river.

HAND 4:

This is a fold from any position other than the BB for no raise preflop. You had no business in the pot period.

What flop are you going to hit that you will scoop with? A butt ugly one basically. Not even worth the extra ½ BB call.

I wouldn’t even bet this flop, I might even fold it to a bet. All you have is a 3rd set, dummy st8 draw and no flush draw in yet another limped pot.

HAND 5:

Why are you sitting short stacked? It’s not a tournament.

This is the numero one issue I have with this hand.

You could have conceivably raised 3X yourself here but then again you are shortstacked so any raise you make is moot as you’re going to get called as you are sitting with nothing behind.

This is a call given your preflop limp. I guess the re-raise was because you were shortstacked? No one’s going to fold you have nothing behind.

The other thing, you only have A2 TT here. You have great pockets but only one shot at low, need to spike trip tens, Broadway board, and/or flush and there is no counterfeit protection. IMO it’s worth juicing the pot with but as far as going gangbusters with it not really. There are three other possible A2s out there.

meaning the presence of severe calling stations this was a check to the river type situation unless you made full.

anyone is a callin station when u value bet them in, than simply call the scared bet. cant value someone in with a weak hand, knowing u have 1 of the trips- most likely they dont ahve the other, and than expect to call them callin stations,

i thing i never understood, is most the bluffs i call are value bets, its funnyt to me, everyone pots, than they lead with a value bet, and expect me to fold. it is easy to fold a weak hand when potted, esp at these levels, who want mosnters to call, so on hands like ur trips, play it straonge rwhen they show such weakness, learn to find when people are weak

Cool. Thanks to everyone who posted. I posted multiple hands so they could be looked at as a composition. I think its easier to evaluate holes in a persons game this way. Since these all came from the same session it told a story.....a story of bad play. The only disclaimer I would like to make is that the lovely BB hand comment was sarcasm. Its lovely in that I got strung along with a crappy hand I would rarely play.

As for the buy-in comment, I agree that is appropriate to buy-in for the full amount.......only if you are a good player. For a beginner I like the idea of playing with a shorter stack and trying to get it in good. It gives an opportunity to learn the dynamics a little bit without punishing the wallet as much.

Well, I have no clue about short stack strategy, imo it is just nonsense. But even when you wanna play shortstacked I think you should rebuy regularly to your initial buyin, which looks like 8 to 10 bucks, if you lose.

I agree with SexOnOmahaBeach.

Why not sit at the PLO8 5c tables with $5?

This would be a better learning experience.

A lot of PLO8 is protecting your hands / value betting. For me the crux is the ability to price others out of a hand in precarious situations or value bet when I know they are behind. If you have no stack you can't do this.

You basically are playing Bingo/Slots -- sorry but that's not poker.

Go Play PLO8 5c with $5 to better understand the game. Or even LO8 just to get the basics down.

My two cents.

IMO I think you're playing too loose, particularly in the SB- you should be playing tight here, you're out of position and don't want to get into sticky situations post-flop which are only going to cost you money.

I've always thought that the less experience you have of poker the tighter you should play, as you gain more experience and skills you can play looser profitably. So my advice would be to look online, or pick up a book or two, and really nail down what your starting hands are going to be, and what you're going to be folding preflop. By playing only premium hands you are going to avoid bad spots, and you will slowly build a decent O8 strategy, and as you gain more knowledge of the game, you can loosen up preflop.

Also, as others have said, you'd be better of playing the 5c or 10c tables with a full buyin.

Yeah, Pokerstars does regular $5max games, and their rake is lower at $10max also. Avoid the 5c/10c games at Full Tilt, I hear the rake is atrocious.

I hear you. I typically play the .02/.05 game, but have been running well and decided to take a shot at the bigger game. For whatever reason stars doesn't have a .05/.10 PL game....they have it for PLO and NL Holdem though.

As for the short stack thing I heard an interview with Phil Gordon and Chris Ferguson where they had said they thought it was pretty good idea for beginners. My main thing is I feel a lot more comfortable playing a wider range of hands when I am around 40 blinds deep......which could certainly be part of the problem. My other issue with playing deeper has more to do with the stakes than anything. People play way worse(in the .02/.05) than the stuff I posted here. After reading a lot of these responses I went to a .02/.05 game and bought in for 80BB. Tightened my starting range and played more aggressively when I hit hands. It worked well for the first 25 hands(roughly). Then players starting taking bigger risks to the point I was getting called with ridiculous holdings. Went on tilt and ended up losing a majority of my stack playing a hand I probably should have folded pre-flop, but ended up flopping top set. Bet pot and get called by a flush draw and a backdoor 7 low draw. Bet pot on turn and get called by a flush draw and a 7 low draw. Opponent is all-in and hits his flush on the river..........this crap happens all the time at these stakes. Most of the time I never know where I am in a hand. If anyone is interested in the exact details of that hand it is in a separate post (microstakes in the subject line).

Get used to it, it happens anywhere and anytime.

The smallest games are raked 10%. No one should ever play them out of principle. It must be pretty hard even for a great player to win in these games. If you split a pot you put $5 in, you get $4.50 back. If you win a pot, 20% of your profit gets eaten.

Yuck. I kind of hate your game.

I guess I'd start by saying that it seems you are making one-way semibluffs in spots where you don't have much hope of winning the pot. Hard to say with just a few hands, but I can't say that I was excited about the way you played any of them really.

good luck.
Eric