PokerStars Pot-Limit Omaha, $0.02 BB (6 handed) - Converted at http://handhistoryconverter.com/

CO ($0.80)
Button ($2.75)
SB ($0.78)
BB ($2.25)
UTG ($2.16)
Hero (MP) ($3.37)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 8, 9, 2, 8
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.06, 1 fold, Button calls $0.06, SB raises to $0.26, BB calls $0.24, Hero calls $0.20, Button calls $0.20

Flop: ($1.04) 10, 8, Q (4 players)
SB bets $0.52 (All-In), BB calls $0.52, Hero raises to $3.09, 1 fold, BB calls $1.47 (All-In)

Turn: ($5.54) 2 (3 players, 2 all-in)

River: ($5.54) 2 (3 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: $5.54 | Rake: $0.18

thanks in advance!

Not sure how you’re finding an open here in MP instead of a fold. This is not a good hand to include in opening range.

Self-professed new player to PLO, I'm sure he / she will find a lot of opens instead of folds until more experience is gained


OP, the strength of this hand is not great, so it is recommended not to include it in your PF raising range.

As for your flop play, bottom set when there is a straight and a FD out is a very vulnerable hand, especially multi way. The odds of a higher set being out is always a likelihood and Omaha is a game of draws, so people with flush draws stand a chance of outdrawing you and will be getting correct odds to do so.

The iso raise is fine against a shortie and the deuce run out is good if BB doesn't have a higher set. I probably play it the same way with the shortie in the hand. If stacks are deeper, I'm either folding (player and read dependent), or calling to see a turn.

fold pre all day long, any discussion after is kind of pointless.

This is a bad starting hand. But rather than just learning 98(82) is a bad starting hand, you should think more generally about the kind of hands you're overvaluing.

It's probably simple: Middle pairs by themselves aren't worth anything ever, really. Typically 88 will make middle set, although here it happened to flop bottom set. Even middle set rarely gets money in with a big advantage. (Once you flop the set it has value, as played, but any set besides top set on the flop is always a "trouble hand." Preflop you shouldn't be taking a longshot draw at a trouble hand.) In contrast, top set often gets money in with an advantage vs undersets or occasionally top two pair.

Notice: Something like T988 is often playable. Then when you flop a set you can often be drawing to a straight. You're not playing it for pure set value because the cards work together.

If it wasn't the 88 that made you like this hand then it was the eight-high flush draw and only one point of connectedness (9-8) with a dangler (2), and those are even worse than the 88.

tip #1 : it is 2PL not 2NL.

tip #2 : fold pre. This is a very weak hand. You want four cards working together, and it is better if they are high. Something like 8897 with a suit would be better, but still too loose from MP. As played fold to the three bet.

Flop looks good.

For OP try to think of your hand as 6 hands:

98(82):

1. 98
2. 98 - worhtless
3. 92
4. 88
5. 82 - worthless
6. (82)

2 of those hands are worthless. 92 is only slightly better than worthless. (82) is a bit better than 92, but it really needs to be a helper (8 high flush on it's own is lol) with the other hands and it's not getting it. And as you probably found out hitting a set with 88 isn't the same guarantee of winning as in holdem (and the 92 doesn't really help you when you hit the set).

Compare that to a hand that might look similar:

(98)(87):

1. (98)
2. 98 - worthless
3. 97
4. 88
5. 87 - worthless
6. (87)

Now, again, we have 2 hands that are worthless and a lot of the others aren't great on their own ... but they'll tend to help each other.