by Aisthesis » Sun Jan 21, 2007 4:56 am
I think this really depends overall on the game, and, if you have specific reads, better yet.
In any case, at the casino game I play sometimes, you'll usually have 7 players involved in raised pots. If position is right, someone in LP is going to bet, too. There, I really don't mess with anything except top set, and even there I'd like some decent blockers at least. Basically, you're going to have an opportunity to play 1 hand for stack, and I intend to be big favorite.
At the Stars 1/2, it's a completely different game. Usually more like 4-5 way pots, much less raising and even a lot of 3-way pots. In that situation, I think even bottom set becomes much more viable. But you have to have some sense of what you're up against. The usual "language of PLO" means that if you get a call rather than a raise, you're ahead. If raised, you're probably behind. After a call, then you just have to take it from there as to what comes on the turn and the river. But you can often take down some smallish pots with just a pot-sized flop bet. And since you're not really guaranteed a double up opportunity, then you need to win some of these small pots. And there are also raised pots where someone may very well be just overplaying unimproved AA, and I see no sense in folding ANY set to AA as overpair, maybe also with nut flush draw, but a set is still a pretty decent favorite.