The game has a lot of action. People do not fold, We are 8 handed.

Hero has ~$400 to start the hand, avg. is about $1K

It's 1/3 w/ a $10 straddle sometimes.

Preflop: We are in The BB with A A Q 5 , 8 limps to us and we pot to $90. Everyone calls

Flop: 4 3 3 (Pot $720) (8 handed)
sb checks, hero?

Are you checking and seeing what happens, just rip it in or do you do something else?

So under 0.5 stp to you. You have no fold equity but your bet might set up a possible pot re-raise that with big enough stacks does create folds. Since you can't fold let's see if anyone else will.

If we give our 7 villains 100% ranges, which is a decent approximation here, I calculate only a 10.6% chance that nobody has a 3.

Assume your bet won't get through and you'll get action from someone with a 3. Figure out how much equity you have against him.

I know is seems it doesn't matter .. but what's your table image? Is this 'only' AAxx or KKxx from the BB (or 'everywhere' you pot it)? As a short stack in a game like this is a Pot bet really that effective in thinning the field? Why bloat the pot when there are so few Flops that favor you over that many random holdings?

With the table information being pretty much like most PLO games .. you don't need to bet Pot PF to perhaps get a couple of folds (at least in my game). While you think this 'earns' you less chips, you do make the Pot Odds less attractive OTF if you choose to shove. There are Players in our game that will fold a 3x here if 'the right' Hero's shove unless they have 34 (or 44 of course). With a smaller raise PF you might entice another Player to isolate, which will allow you to call/shove and more than likely have some nice dead chips in the middle.

AP .. it's hard not to GII here .. you do have the As to block nut spades, if that even matters at your table. We have Players calling down with even Ten-high flush draws here as long as they also connect somehow with the Board. If you have the right image you might be able to get all non-connected flush draws to fold since they will assume you have AAxx with spades. You do have a gutter (that may not be good).

The only way to eliminate some Players is to bet into them and hope they think you have AA3x. If you raise to $50, the pot is $400 and you're shoving $350 at 2 to 1 rather than shoving at 3 to 1 when you Pot PF.


In the game you describe, I'm just sitting back and sniping with this hand. The assumption is that Players will overplay their holdings and you can get away with much less risk on a Board like this one. Even with all the limps, you just can't isolate at your stack depth .. which also gives Players the idea that they can speculate more often knowing that if they get HU against you their stack is not at risk.

If you open smaller, then you can either shove with better equity denial or check it and see what happens when it comes back around. TBH I'm more worried about 44 than 3x when it goes 8-ways since you lose your wheel gutter .. which may be dead as well.

I don't even know what to recommend as I would make 'all' the decisions based on the table dynamic and my image 'today'. GL