With two to a flush and two to a low on the board, I bet out hoping for a high flush card so that I can take it down on the turn. I get my wish, make a big bet, and get called!?! I am not too worried, as I have a redraw to a low, and I can jam again if I hit it. Board pairs for no low and I am lucky to be able to check it down. Villain wins with crap.

No stats on Villain when hand was played, but later analysis showed him to be not very good (obvious), high VPIP, very little aggression, but not necessarily a showdown monkey.

BTW, I don't bet out on the river because I can't assume that any decent player would believe that I was willing to bet out on both a flush board and a boat board.

Anyway, was I stupid to try this play, or was I just unlucky that it didn't work and I didn't get half the pot? Or asked another way... it is a good idea to try this kind of move?


$100 PL Omaha Hi/Lo
Seat 1 is the button
Total number of players : 10
Seat 1: jokerpoker57 ( $59.43 )
Seat 2: xBuckshot ( $158.24 )
Seat 4: dsw1977 ( $136.22 )
Seat 5: masonfiftyfi ( $187.73 )
Seat 6: HTP_PTH ( $144.93 )
Seat 7: Lapras ( $321.39 )
Seat 9: Hero ( $100 )
Seat 10: callme976 ( $138.30 )
Seat 3: Diderot123 ( $97 )
Seat 8: Duckfan12345 ( $133.60 )
Diderot123 posts small blind [$0.50].
dsw1977 posts big blind [$1].
callme976 posts big blind + dead [$1.50].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Hero [ As Qh 8c 2h ]
masonfiftyfi folds.
HTP_PTH folds.
Lapras raises [$2].
Duckfan12345 folds.
Hero calls [$2].
callme976 calls [$1].
jokerpoker57 folds.
Diderot123 did not respond in time.
Diderot123 folds.
dsw1977 calls [$1].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 4s, 9c, 7s ]
dsw1977 checks.
Lapras checks.
Hero bets [$7].
callme976 calls [$7].
dsw1977 folds.
Lapras folds.
** Dealing Turn ** [ Ks ]
Hero bets [$20].
callme976 calls [$20].
** Dealing River ** [ 7h ]
Hero checks.
callme976 checks.
Hero shows [ As, Qh, 8c, 2h ] a pair of sevens.
callme976 shows [ Ac, 9d, 3s, Ts ] a flush, king high.
callme976 wins $60 from the main pot with a flush, king high.
There was no qualifying low hand.

I don't use a bare A bluff unless i am 100% absolutely sure that the other guy has tremendous respect for my game and will believe me. Obviously, this guy isn't one of the guys so don't even try.

Bare A bluff is much better in PLO as there's more likely a draw in PLO8 (and also people tend to be more keen to call down with weaker flushes because high hands tend to be a bit weaker in this game due to the bi-directionality). You need to be pretty sure of your quarry as well, IMO.

In this case I think betting out with the intention of bluffing a flush card is a bit of a convoluted play and probably not all that sensible. You need a lot of possilities to work out for the play to be +EV, I think it's a bit of a leap of logic really. I think I'd be more inclined to bet that flop if I had even a tiny bit of something for high, like a pair for instance.

There is a place for bluffing a bare ace, though. Just this probably wasn't it!

of course, i was planning to bet again if a low spade hit... but that wouldn't be a bluff. i would have had a made low. i was a bit worried that he had a protected low draw (again, WRONG) that would likely quarter me, so i was hoping to take the pot down without a SD.