Preflop Decisions

[Ted]

I just finished my first PLO8 session. Here are 6 preflop decisions I made. Any ideas on how to play the hands better?

All these hands had 8-10 players and were at Party's $25 tables. The average V$IP for the table was about 40%.

#1
Pre-flop: (8 players) Hero is UTG with
Hero folds

This hand really had nothing going for it except A2 and I was UTG. Ok fold? Does being in a loose game change the evaluation?

#2
Pre-flop: (8 players) Hero is Button with
5 folds, Hero raises to $0.85, SB folds, BB raises to $1.2, Hero calls.

Here, I was first in, on the button, with a more coordinated hand. Was calling the BB's raise good? I figured he has A2xx or AAxx, so I'm probably behind, and if I'm not, my edge is minimal. It seems odd for him to reraise though, because he's OOP.

#3
Pre-flop: (8 players) Hero is UTG+1 with
UTG folds, Hero folds, 2 folds, CO calls, Button calls, SB calls, BB checks.

This hand is exactly the same except I'm OOP, and the king isn't suited. Does having many more players yet to act combined with being OOP for the rest of the hand make this a fold?

#4
Pre-flop: (9 players) Hero is UTG with
Hero calls, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 raises to $0.5, CO calls, 2 folds, BB calls, Hero calls, MP1 folds, MP2 calls.

Should I have folded this UTG?

#5
Pre-flop: (9 players) Hero is UTG+1 with
UTG folds, Hero calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, 2 folds, SB calls, BB checks.

Another EP call. Am I too loose in EP? Regardless, with the table as loose as it is, I probably have an equity edge against 6 opponents.

#6
Pre-flop: (9 players) Hero is MP1 with
2 folds, Hero raises to $0.85, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO calls, Button folds, SB calls, BB folds.

Raising ok?



Sorry if some of these seem elementary; I just want to make sure I'm not leaking any profit. The preflop mistakes in PLO8 are very small; however, because of their frequency, playing too many/few hands can add up over the long run.

Any thoughts?

[Ted]

I fell in love with my hand...

I had about $25
MP2 had about $10, and VP$IP of 90% and PFR of 0% over 20 hands.
BB had about $3

Pre-flop: (10 players) Hero is CO with
UTG+1 folds, UTG calls, 2 folds, MP2 raises to $0.5, MP3 folds, Hero raises to $2.1, 2 folds, BB raises all-in $2.52, UTG folds, MP2 raises all-in $9.71, Hero calls.

The min raise scared me, but I raised the pot after using up about 15 seconds. On the second call, I was getting about 1.5-1. I figured I was behind, but called anyway. Thoughts?

Hands in white below.
MP2: As2s8d9d
BB: K7T3 rainbow

[Felonius_Monk]

[JDLush]

[Ted]

Thanks for the tips. My philosophy so far is to fold uncoordinated A2xx's in EP. If they have a wheel card, suitedness, pair, or big cards, I'll generally raise them in any position. I'll also raise naked A2xx's in LP.

I came across another hand later that I think I misplayed preflop. I raised AAJTs from EP. I think limping would have been much better. Is it ever right to raise high only hands preflop? If so, when?

[JDLush]

Normally, the only time I raise high only hands preflop is when I want to change things up a bit and I am at a more passive table (meaning there is less of a chance of someone pushing over the top of me). However, this is a high only hand with AA, and needs to be raised. Here's why:

http://twodimes.net/h/?z=1826375
pokenum -mc 500000 -o8 as ah js tc - 4c 5d 7h 8s
Omaha Hi/Low 8-or-better: 500000 sampled boards
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
As Js Tc Ah 178813 309707 190151 142 0 0 0 0.489
8s 4c 5d 7h 190151 190151 309707 142 269659 0 0 0.511

Yes, you are behind to a monster like 4578 rainbow. You do not want this hand limping in from the BB on you. However, it gets kinda weird as you add more callers to the hand:

http://twodimes.net/h/?z=1826377
pokenum -mc 500000 -o8 as ah js tc - 4c 5d 7h 8s - ad 2c 4d 6h
Omaha Hi/Low 8-or-better: 500000 sampled boards
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
As Js Tc Ah 172415 254225 245600 175 0 0 0 0.427
8s 4c 5d 7h 49228 147308 351216 1476 16206 213957 1537 0.210
2c Ad 4d 6h 93579 96991 401708 1301 227474 10157 1537 0.363

Now you are a big favorite (most likely due to the 2 low hands cancelling each other out).

Of course, if you throw another high hand in there it skews it back towards the low hands:
http://twodimes.net/h/?z=1826379
pokenum -o8 as ah js tc - 4c 5d 7h 8s - ad 2c 4d 6h - ts td qh ks
Omaha Hi/Low 8-or-better: 376992 enumerated boards
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
As Js Tc Ah 54342 111986 264366 640 0 0 0 0.221
8s 4c 5d 7h 21432 106134 269451 1407 15065 196781 1701 0.186
2c Ad 4d 6h 70542 73626 301959 1407 208373 10012 1701 0.403
Ks Ts Td Qh 59452 83199 293153 640 0 0 0 0.190

In a game with reasonable players, it's the low (A2 etc) hands that will most likely call your raise, and that's where you'll be a favorite (due to your aces impacting his ace):
http://twodimes.net/h/?z=1826381
pokenum -mc 500000 -o8 as ah js tc - - ad 2c 4d 6h
Omaha Hi/Low 8-or-better: 500000 sampled boards
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
As Js Tc Ah 188848 337645 162355 0 0 0 0 0.526
2c Ad 4d 6h 162355 162355 337645 0 271499 0 0 0.474

What does it all mean? Generally, I'd rather be in LP with this hand and see what has transpired ahead of me before deciding how much to committ to it. If you have a raise and call (or reraise) in front of you then you could be reasonably ahead:

http://twodimes.net/h/?z=1826386
pokenum -mc 500000 -o8 as ah js tc - ac 3h 4h 5c - ad 2c 4d 6h
Omaha Hi/Low 8-or-better: 500000 sampled boards
cards scoop HIwin HIlos HItie LOwin LOlos LOtie EV
As Js Tc Ah 168769 247884 252116 0 0 0 0 0.417
Ac 5c 4h 3h 74505 132710 362215 5075 74368 126248 34495 0.277
2c Ad 4d 6h 78212 114331 380594 5075 128994 71560 34495 0.306

Cliffs notes:
If you want to limp this from EP then you should plan on reraising if it's raised preflop. Otherwise you'll need to get hit by the flop to know where you are.

[Ted]