Rather unusually, the $100 PLO8 game on UB is running, and it looks juicy. The following hands came up.

1) I get A235 in the BB. LP raises to $5, I call, together with button and SB (LP has been raising a lot preflop). All have full stacks. Flop: A94r. Checked to raisor, who pots it. Folded to me, and I checkraise the max. Good or not? He ended up calling with A442 for the set, and we split the pot. Should I have made him fold here?

2) I get 99TJr in the BB. This time there's two limpers, and the SB completes. (SB and first limper have only $30 behind, button has full stack.)
Flop: 289, two spades. Ok, I understand that I might be in bad shape against low draws and flush draws combined, but does that automatically translate in a check-fold?

SB checked, I decided to lead out for $4. Everyone called.

Turn: offsuit T. Now what? I decided to lead for the pot again. First limper now pushes for $5 more, second calls allin, button folds, I call.

Of course, the spade hit on the river and I lost the pot, which, probably, was what I asked for!

Flame away!

First hand - play it just like that every time, although leading pot on the flop is better only if you feel he won't bet. You have a monster draw and should be compensated for it. I didn't run the numbers but I'm guessing you are the favorite here. 9 times out of 10 if he pots it then he won't fold to your raise, so get it all in while the getting's good.

Second hand - it's not a check/fold unless it's been raised and reraised before it gets to you. I will do what you did a lot of the time - bet it out and see what happens. I am iffy on the turn bet tho. I'd have probably gone half pot there. It's not a low or spade, which is good, but it's putting a str8 out there, which is bad (granted, damn near every card in the deck that doesn't pair the board is bad for you in this case). Check/fold there is weak, but not totally incorrect (I think). If a low or a spade hits the turn it's an insta-dump unless it's checked around or a real weak min-type bet is made.

Hand 1 is perfect. That is a great flop for your hand. I bet you're even a slight favorite against a set, although it's probably close. It's worth noting that your hand plays very well against wide range of hands whereas the villain is crushed against a bigger set.

Hand 2, understand that you're *never* going to be in bad shape on that flop. You're a dog to the combo of nut-low draw + nut-flush draw, but it's only going to be something like 52/48 heads-up. In a 3-way pot, you should always have more than your fair share of equity. I'm not saying shoving the flop is the best way to play, but you should NEVER consider folding on that flop. The turn is tough because you want to make the low draws pay, but you risk leading out into the nut straight who will raise you off your hand. It looks like only the button is deep enough to pose a threat, so I would bet and then fold if the button pushes all-in. Against multiple players with deeper stacks, I would check-call the turn.