Poker Stars $0.50/$1.00 Limit Omaha Hi/Lo - 10 players
2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked

Pre Flop: Hero is BB with A 3 Q K
UTG calls, 3 folds, MP2 calls, 1 fold, CO calls, BTN calls, 1 fold, Hero checks

Flop: (5.5 SB) K 5 A (5 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks, MP2 checks, CO checks, BTN bets, Hero raises, UTG folds, MP2 folds, CO folds, BTN 3-bets, Hero calls

Due to the presence of the flush draw and wheel draw I am not a fan of leading out when I do not have either draw with my top two pairs. Its also possible that I am behind to a set. I decided to check and see what the other players would do, and that would allow me to act in a way I saw fit. Since everyone checked and only the button bet, I thought it was fair to assume that I had the best hand and there was a good chance nobody had both the low draw/flush draw combo. I wanted to isolate the button and push out draws so I made it two bets. I was glad to see everyone fold. Then the button made it three bets. I was not impressed.

So there were three types of hand I assigned to the button. He was an unknown by the way. I think it would be fair to assume that a very high % of the time I would see the following at showdown from him:

- Aces and Kings or Aces and fives with a low draw
- A wheel draw possibly the 432 triple gutter with a high flush draw, possibly with a pair of fives Aces or Kings.
- A set of fives, Aces or Kings. Possibly with a wheel draw or flush draw or both.

I found it extremely difficult to believe he could have the AA or KK since I had two of them plus he probably would've raised OTB with Aces unless he has a high only hand (which is a common button hand I admit). So I leaned towards believing I currently held the best hand.

Turn: (5.75 BB) 5 (2 players)
Hero bets, BTN raises, Hero folds

I am so familiar with the free card play that I know what opponents who notice it do to make it unprofitable - they lead out on the turn. This is the play I made, the five is meaningless unless he had a five with his big draw. Also I thought at the time I could restate that I have a hand and if he raises then I think I should fold because he probably has a full house or quads.

Although it says "Hero folds" I did not actually click Fold. I am playing on a Fast table on Stars, so you only have 7 seconds in the tank. It folded me whilst I was in said tank, and I am beginning to be glad for it. I was leaning towards folding because a recent and very similar hand took place where I had second set and the other guy had top set Aces even though he didnt raise preflop. However with more time I might have called it and intended to check call a safe river like a high card or offsuit 6, 7 or 8.

Would you fold the turn as played? Would you have played this hand differently on the flop?

Seems well reasoned.
Very hard to put Villain on cards when you don't know Villain.

There are eight possibilities:

• • set (s)
  • low draw (ld)
  • flush draw (fd)
  • s+ld
  • s+fd
  • ld+fd
  • s+ld+fd
  • none of the above

I'd guess Villain most likely had a good low draw plus a spade draw, or was aggressively semi-bluffing only a low draw plus a pair or only a flush draw plus a pair. If Villain has a low draw plus a flush draw plus a set, Hero is a huge dog. Any two, or merely a set, and Hero is a dog.
I would not use the adverb "extremely." It's less likely, by a factor of about three, that Villain would be dealt a pair that would flop a set of some rank where Hero has one card of that rank. (roughly 3*42*41 to 1*43*42). However, I'd guess if the game stopped right there, Hero would have the winning high hand. (Alas for Hero in this case, the game doesn't stop after the flop. Omaha-8 is very much a drawing game and Hero's draw, with only four outs, stinks).
Interesting reasoning. Makes sense.

The thing is, I don't think you'll knock out someone who three bet the flop with a continuation bet on the turn. Not impossible, I suppose, if all Villain had was the flush draw. But hard to imagine Villain, unless overly tricky or simply stupid, three betting the flop with only the flush draw, unless he was looking for a free card.
No. I'd guess the five didn't really help Villain. I'd call the raise and check/call the river for three reasons:

• 1. just to see what Villain was doing,
  2. to promote a tenacious table image, and
  3. because I might still win all or half of the pot.

Yes, but I don't think you played it badly on the flop.

I'd simply directly bet the flop. That fits in better with the way I'd play various other hands after this flop.

Buzz

I like your iso-raise on the flop better than leading out into five players. I understand your reasoning to bet the turn but I would fold to his turn raise.
From my experience at these limits, a 3bet on the flop is almost always a strong made hand.

Buzz I enjoy your posts.

I noticed that nothing was said of my preflop action? That's a good quality hand and nobody raised - does anyone like raising just to build the pot?

Oh and the bet on the turn was not to make him fold. If he had a draw he would at least call as he is getting the right price probably. If he had a made hand I would soon find out. The bet's purpose was to defend against the free card play and actually made it even less profitable than if he had not attempted it and had just called both streets (3b + 1bb > 1b + 1bb).

In my opinion the hand is to weak to raise here.

I also like the reasoning on the flop, I would probably have check/called the turn though as he could easily have a 5 and he's not going to fold (it doesn't look like a free card play to me tbh.)
Also agree with not preflop raising, because of bad position and not enough flops are going to hit your hand.