How to play like a fish.

[stickdude]

Ok, I've got about 1000 hands of Omaha hi under my belt now, and it seems like a good time to review those hands that I've lost the most money with - see if I played them right, or played like a fish.

Hand 1 - lost $5

***** Hand History for Game 3230122607 *****
$0.50/$1 Omaha - Monday, December 19, 21:13:55 EDT 2005
Table Table 65310 (Real Money)
rpvlad posts small blind [$0.25].
pounds20 posts big blind [$0.50].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Brolyan [ ]
Jetson2333 folds.
skidder555 folds.
JJ7505 calls [$0.50].
juddsbuck calls [$0.50].
posillico folds.
mariosut folds.
dragonkissus calls [$0.50].
Brolyan calls [$0.50].
rpvlad calls [$0.25].
pounds20 checks.

Analysis: I don't think this is too bad a hand to limp in with. I've got a paired Ace and 3 connected cards here.

** Dealing Flop ** [ , , ]
rpvlad checks.
pounds20 checks.
JJ7505 checks.
juddsbuck bets [$0.50].
dragonkissus calls [$0.50].
Brolyan calls [$0.50].
rpvlad calls [$0.50].
pounds20 folds.
JJ7505 calls [$0.50].

Analysis: flopped bottom two pair with a backdoor flush draw. There's 8 SB in the pot when it gets to me with 2 to act after me. I've got ~6 outs for the boat, and maybe 1 for the BDFD. On the other hand, I'm pretty much drawing dead to a set of Tens, so those outs have to be discounted quite a bit... I've also got a backdoor straight draw, but with it being the wrong end of the straight (and the possibility that someone may have well flopped a straight that I can't beat), I ignore the straight draw.

** Dealing Turn ** [ ]
rpvlad checks.
JJ7505 checks.
juddsbuck bets [$1].
dragonkissus raises [$2].
Brolyan calls [$2].
rpvlad calls [$2].
JJ7505 calls [$2].
juddsbuck raises [$2].
dragonkissus raises [$2].
Brolyan calls [$2].
rpvlad calls [$2].
JJ7505 calls [$2].
juddsbuck calls [$1].

Now I've got a flush draw with 5.5 BB in the pot to start. There are 5 hearts already visible between the board and my hand, so there are still 8 hearts in the deck. is the only heart that could pair the board, so figure 7 clean outs here. By the time the betting gets to me, it's 2 bets into a 8.5 BB pot with a couple people to follow. Worst case scenario - everyone but the bettor and raiser fold, they cap it between the two of them, and I'm looking at 4 bets to go and a 17.5 BB pot. If one more person comes along, it's 21.5 BB; two more - 25.5 BB. If I calculate my outs correctly, I'm a ~6.25:1 shot to hit... Unless I knew for sure the other two would come along, I don't think I'm getting pot odds to call here.

** Dealing River ** [ ]
rpvlad checks.
JJ7505 checks.
juddsbuck bets [$1].
dragonkissus raises [$2].
Brolyan folds.
rpvlad folds.
JJ7505 folds.
juddsbuck raises [$2].
dragonkissus: more rake
dragonkissus raises [$2].
juddsbuck calls [$1].

And we miss the draw - easy fold even with the big pot - there's no possible way my 2 pair are good here.


Hand 2 - lost $5

***** Hand History for Game 3226757603 *****
$0.50/$1 Omaha - Monday, December 19, 03:53:10 EDT 2005
Table Table 66077 (Real Money)
Malice555 posts small blind [$0.25].
MickRock1912 posts big blind [$0.50].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Brolyan [ ]
BiasedWriter folds.
Chris__420 calls [$0.50].
grass888 calls [$0.50].
jaywo_23 calls [$0.50].
Brolyan calls [$0.50].
SuzanAA calls [$0.50].
Malice555 calls [$0.25].
MickRock1912 checks.

If I were dealt that hand today, I probably fold it pre-flop. Yes, there's a suited Ace, but I'm sitting on 4 of the 13 diamonds. And beyond the suited Ace, there's not much to recommend it - separate one-gap and two-gap connectors.

** Dealing Flop ** [ , , ]
Malice555 bets [$0.50].
MickRock1912 calls [$0.50].
Chris__420 calls [$0.50].
grass888 calls [$0.50].
jaywo_23 folds.
Brolyan calls [$0.50].
SuzanAA folds.

We flop a BDFD and one gutshot straight draw to the nuts (a 7-high straight if a 6 hits), and another gutshot draw to the 2nd nuts (a 5-high straight if a 2 hits). I think the 6's are 4 clean outs, but I'm not sure how much weight to give the 2's, since I'm not drawing to the nuts... In any case, I'm getting 11:1 on my call, so I think the call here was ok.

** Dealing Turn ** [ ]
Malice555 bets [$1].
MickRock1912 folds.
Chris__420 calls [$1].
grass888 folds.
Brolyan calls [$1].

No more BDFD, but I don't think my other outs really change at all - a 6 still gives me the nut straight, and a 2 gives me the 2nd nut straight. The call here is probably marginal, with 9:1 pot odds and 44 cards left in the deck, I need 5 outs to make the call. It comes down to how much weight you give the 2's...

** Dealing River ** [ ]
Malice555 checks.
Chris__420 bets [$1].
Brolyan raises [$2].
Malice555 folds.
Chris__420 raises [$2].
Brolyan calls [$1].

Well, I hit my 2nd nut straight card and go crazy. How would you guys play this? I'm getting 10:1 on a simple call, so my straight would only need to be good a little more than 10% of the time. Is that a reasonable call in Omaha, or do you fold here?


Hand 3 - lost $4.50

***** Hand History for Game 3235986462 *****
$0.50/$1 Omaha - Tuesday, December 20, 22:27:49 EDT 2005
Table Table 65225 (Real Money)
Seat 7 is the button
OldenGray posts small blind [$0.25].
GoodLuck13 posts big blind [$0.50].
Anderski posts big blind [$0.50].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Brolyan [ ]
AKLady folds.
DICKPHILLIPS calls [$0.50].
monge608 calls [$0.50].
barbb54 calls [$0.50].
doood calls [$0.50].
Anderski checks.
Brolyan calls [$0.50].
bottswanna calls [$0.50].
OldenGray calls [$0.25].
GoodLuck13 checks.

A suited pair of kings... Would you guys play them only for high-card strength (the pair of Kings), or for the 2nd nut flush possibilities as well? Or just fold them because the 5 and 7 don't really contribute much beyond suitedness?

** Dealing Flop ** [ , , ]
OldenGray checks.
GoodLuck13 bets [$0.50].
DICKPHILLIPS calls [$0.50].
monge608 folds.
barbb54 folds.
doood folds.
Anderski folds.
Brolyan raises [$1].
bottswanna calls [$1].
OldenGray calls [$1].
GoodLuck13 folds.
DICKPHILLIPS folds.

So, we flop the 2nd nut flush. This is where I'm not too sure of my play. I think this is a much easier raise in hold-em, as the chances of someone holding a suited ace of hearts are much smaller with only two hole cards. Do I just call down here and hope it holds up? Muck it because it's not the nut flush?

** Dealing Turn ** [ ]
OldenGray checks.
Brolyan bets [$1].
bottswanna raises [$2].
OldenGray folds.
Brolyan calls [$1].

Hmm... don't like the raise there. In your experience, would people at this level raise here with a non-nut flush?

** Dealing River ** [ ]
Brolyan checks.
bottswanna bets [$1].
Brolyan calls [$1].

He's obviously got a flush as well. The only question - is it the nut flush or not? (since I mentioned that I lost money on this hand, the answer is probably obvious. )

And, all three of these hands occured at Site A (see Tale of 2 Sites post) - the one I'm getting clobbered on. Hands like these, where I lose a lot of money with 2nd nut hands, are a large part of my losses there.

[briachek]