I was playing a little holdem while I waited for my PLO 2-2 table to open up. Once I got called I had about $300 in front of me. There's a guy sitting with about $2,000+ and mostly everyone else between $300-$500. Obviously no reads on anyone.

I call the $5 straddle in mid position. 5 others call and the straddler with $2000 pots it to like $35. One call in front of me and I call with 5/5/6/7 (6/7 spades). Then right after me it goes pot, repot, repot all in etc. When it gets back to me there's 4 people that are essentially all in. I'm certain one of them has Aces and/or better spades.

I think about calling it off against high cards but just fold.

Flop was 4/5/8 all spades. I flopped the straight flush. Most people had like A/K/Q suited etc etc. and I think the winning hand was like a jack high flush. No one had a high pair. I was so bitter I just racked up and left. Is this just a shrug get it in spot with only $300 in front? Not being results oriented, just thinking of the math that my cards are probably live if low cards come out and everyone is sharing high cards.

Fold preflop instead of limping if there are still five players to act behind you. If this hand bothered you in any way you might not be cut out to be playing poker.

Not sure if I understand. Why were you bitter, if you are not results-oriented?

Easy fold.

5-way, Hero usually has enough equity to call it off - it depends on how we construct villain ranges. Optimistically Hero can have 21-23% equity and only needs like 17-18% to justify a call. But its typically going to be at least break-even and a tiny +ev winner.

So probably call is better than fold.

More details on stacks makes it a little easier to evaluate. It's better for Hero if not everyone is all-in, as they may fold some equity postflop against another player.

But, I argue he shouldn't be in this situation at all.

I agree on that point.

It did occur to me they were all sharing cards but I couldn't stick in the extra $300 or so but I figured I was live. Was stunned no one had a big pair just suited broadways. Still bothering me, but I may have had the equity to call running it through cardplayer.

If one of the 5s was an 8 I can see limping and then calling it off.

Small pairs are bad, very bad.

I like when there are 6 way all ins pre and 3 of them think they are the only ones with low cards.

For a live 2/2 game (I'm assuming it was 8 or 9 handed) this is an insta-fold pre. Even if you stay in, you are definitely folding when it gets potted to $35. If it was a 6-Max PLO50 game online, you could make an argument for calling the raise, but even then it seems pretty thin.

You are looking at the results .. this 'one' result .. how would you have felt if you had lost to a 9-high flush?

Don't ever be 'stunned' when most PLO Players turn their hand over. Have you played with this crew before? I think so, so you should already know what's going on with a lot of these Players. Perhaps you are in a very large room and some of these were random Recs.

Typically when there's a huge stack at the table you can assume there's already been a hand (or three) just like this one. It's (not) amazing that a poker table can remain 'civil' for 3-4 downs and then all of a sudden there's a 4-way all-in.

By math and some consideration you can make this call from an EV standpoint. You are the short stack .. You are getting huge Pot Odds. Is this an 'actual' $2 game or does it have a $5 bring-in? I assume with a $5 straddle that it's actually a $2 game, so you have 150BB to start or 100 effective to the Straddle. Typically in a live PLO game 100BB is a stack that GII very often PF or Flop.

When it comes to 'these' types of hands you have to decide where you stand as a Player as well as the EV/PO of the spot. From what I think, you don't have much of a BR, so this is probably not the spot for you unless you are just there to gamble and are more than willing to walk away from the table after a very short session. Now you did walk away, but more from a tilt aspect, which I respect that you probably knew that you were going to blast off within the next orbit, maybe not. If you can't toss these types of hands out of your mindset fairly quick, then PLO is not the game for you 'long term'. For fun? Sure .. For Gamble? Sure .. For 1-2 hours? Sure

If you want to play hands like this, especially when you first sit down, then BI for the table min or just over and see what happens the first orbit or two .. you can always add on.


Let's put it this way .. If you were playing NL and 3 Players exposed AA, KK and TT PF, and you folded, are you going rack up your $2-300 and leave when you would've won with 78 suited? It's the same equity at about 20%.

I encourage you to keep posting here .. I think we can help you enjoy this game more going forward. GL

To original post:

I would have tossed it for the $30 raise. This argues for tossing it for $5. Your bottom set does poorly with lots of money and out of position. You don't want a small set facing a pot turn bet with money for the river. A small set is not a hand you often want to put in a river bet with; out of position. The 4-card rundown (change a 5 to a 4) has these weaknesses quite a bit less. Save your pair-run-downs for late position.

I would gladly put it all in against 4 players who presumably are high-card rich. If one has AA and the other random cards, you are a slight favorite at 21%. Against AAxx, KKxx, AKQJ, and xxxx you are a big favorite; almost 32% while the AA is almost 23%; where 20% is par. Against AA and KK and xxxx and xxxx, you are still 23%. You lose ground a lot if someone has a larger overlapping rundown. You are getting almost 5:1 against 4 players.

This hand plays much better when in position; allowing sometimes you can easily lay down your set if need-be; or can value bet with confidence AFTER everyone checks.

-Louie