When we're playing HU, are the positions similar to BTN vs BB or SB vs BB, in 6-max?

Which cards do we expect the player on the BTN to be dealt most?

Btn vs BB.

Not sure wat u mean in 2nd question.

B v BB .. and , yes, I always tell the Dealer "We're playing 'no Ace' Button HU here" .. GL

In the second question, I was wondering what range of cards that each position could expect to be dealt.

For instance, do we expect that the BTN would be dealt more hands like QQ, KK and Ax with better kickers, while BB would be dealt more K987, J9xx or wheel type of hands?

My overall understanding is that BTN and BB holdings are mostly symmetrical?

How does that work? The dealer removes all Aces from the deck? What’s the purpose? To make holdings more even?

Interesting. If two players get dealt 4 cards why would it not be exactly symmetrical?

If I was a mod I'd pin this thread. Love it.

I'm inexperienced in this area and my questions are sincere, so I'm not sure what you mean by pinning the thread. Any input you have would be appreciated.

Explain what exactly does your 2nd question even mean? See my last post.

I believe it was, but still, as Amok has pointed out, the second question is kind of...

Let me rephrase it. I have a deck of cards, and I deal 4 to you and 4 to me. We do that a billion times, and we shuffle in between each deal. What does the distribution of our hands look like? Of course, they must be the same; there is no other answer.

bro wat teh actual ****

Best post ever.

We are having a laugh because we know the answer to your questions and it’s just second nature to us mate so don’t take it to heart.

Like the boys have said, the distribution of cards is eventually the same for every position. So BB and Button will both get AAKK and 7772 at the same frequency over a large enough sample size.

That being said, if you are frequently trying to play out of position vs a decent player, it will probably feel like they get much stronger hands than you much more often because having position in PLO is so incredibly powerful.

Thank you for the response.

One of the reasons I was asking, is because I've been able to watch a couple of "This is PLO" episodes, from Galfond, which focuses on HU.

This is from Episode 15 -Flop Cbet on paired boards 3 - Turns and Rivers:

He's on the button holding QdQhJhTd and the board runs out 8h9d9h7cJd. He faces a 1/3 pot bet and says that he has a clear raise, due to blocking the Jack and it's a clear raise anyway.. He goes on to say this is where it gets kind of scary to bet, 3bet a hand like 97, because he rivers a lot of JJ and lot of J9 as well. Assuming the distribution is equal, why would the button river more J9 and JJ?

You're (He is) talking about Range, which relates to the 'types' of holdings a Player will play from the various poker position around the table.

The closer you are to the Button the wider a Range of holdings you can play. The closer you are to the Button the more likely you will have positional advantage after the Flop. So you can 'afford' to play more of the possible holdings since you will be able to react last to each street of action.

So a hand like JJ98 is more likely to be played 'from position' than out of position.


So this has nothing to do with 'what' cards a Player is dealt .. but everything to do with 'what they do with them' Pre-Flop.


When a Player says they will "Show up" with JJ98 more often on the Button it's not because they get dealt that holding more often, it's because they 'should' play that holding more often from the Button than any other position around the table.


There are tons of NL charts online and in some Threads here. PLO charts really haven't been created as of yet. But when you look at those charts you will see the various colors and how they change from position to position around the table with the most holdings being played from the Button. These charts get adjusted depending on the actions that have taken place before action is on the Button (OTB). GL

He doesn't mean that BTN would have more J9 or JJ because he is somehow dealt more of those hands. He means that if BB has a hand like 97 (which obviously does not contain a jack) and is raised, BTN often has a value raise containing a jack, thus it's not possible to bet-3bet 97 for value.

A player can have way more hand xx in many spots, not because he is dealt that hand more often (that is impossible), but due to the actions in the hand.

edit: x-post