2 table O8B tournament, with a rebuy or add-in after level 2. 10k in chips, add-on is also 10k. I play a simple double suited hand earlier, before everyone remembers that big hands win in Omaha. Sure enough, my 9s2sxx in the BB hits a flush on the turn and the two pair chases it down. The low and I split a pot that was bigger than it should have been.
On the next hand, I hit a K high flush on the FLOP and the low has not gotten there yet. I start to be cautious of the Ace, but when the others just call, I figure the King is good. This may have been a mistake, because it assumes that the others KNEW that in O8B you would always bet the made flush with 3 players in the pot. But the low did not get there and I scooped a pot while broke a player forcing him to re-buy.
I make a disciplined fold with JTT8 2 suited because of a raise from the button and I had no Ace. O8B, be weary of not having an Ace in your hand.
I play a nut low draw on the flop, but the turn bet is too big and I am not going to chase. Fold.
Someone comes in late, sits down and his set on the flop makes a boat on the turn. He TRIPLES up and my chip lead never returns. BUT, more on this later.
It is at this point that I assess my situation. There are already two players knocked out (and it’s a rebuy tournament!) The add-on is 10k and I already have over 20k. I decide to slow down and only play top ten hands. I also make a note that this table is especially susceptible to the check-raise, as the last to act ALWAYS fires at the pot. I hope to get a chance to use this.
I get into a discussion with the player on my left about O8B draws. He pushes in what I consider marginal situations and he claims he is a favorite. For example QJ83 and 2 hearts vs. a board with QT23 with 2 diamonds. He has two pair and can not make low. How can you possible think you’re a favorite here? There is no made straight or flush yet, but even if they don’t get there, you can’t take low. So you are betting to drive out THREE draws. Seems like you are giving away money here. Yet in the other hands we discuss, he is the one pushing with the draw. And again claims to be the favorite. I enjoy the debate, but it seems to upset him so I drop it.
I fold A25T with 3 hearts to a 3xBB pre-flop raise because it seems unlikely that I can scoop with this hand. The flop was Q85 all clubs and I would have lost both to the guy who makes a wheel on the river.
I take the add-in. I have $35k and the avg is $20k
I lost $5k pushing AA with a low draw. The low does not get there and neither does my flush. I lose to a straight (no low).
Called $wk with low draw. Check-called the flop. Debated raising, but wanted my hand to get there first. The turn makes my nut low and then I start betting. 3 players saw the river card, and then I split with the high hand.
Worse miss of the night: I fold A57J with the suited Ace. I fold for no reason in LP because of the lack of coordinated hand. I have about a 6% chance of being able to play this post-flop. So I fold it. The board spring a 7 farm and I would have made quads with no low hand to split with. Oh well. I COULD have limped in LP with that hand, but man that would be sloppy play.
We are playing 7 handed and I have $28k vs. avg of $21k
I get AAK2 with 2 hearts. I raise 3xBB and get 2 callers. The flop is K92 rainbow and I figure the AA may hold up! When they both check, I decide to bet pot and take it now. They both fold.
My A235 loses to A238 when no one hit the board at all and there was no low. That’s right, in Omaha I lost to Ace high.
We are now 6 handed and playing tight has bled me down to avg.
I fold 336J in BB to a raise.
I had A258 with the Ace suited and call a big pre-flop raise (after a limper) from the button. Should I have raised to isolate? (I won the hand)
I get away from a hand where I had 2 pair and the second best low. High was the K high flush and I chastise myself for playing a hand without an Ace here. (it was like 2356).
We are down to one table and my opportunity came. I flopped a set on a rainbow board and I checked knowing I would get to raise. The LP overbets!!! ½ his remaining stack. I re-raise him all-in and he folds? Did not expect that, but I still take down a big pot with no risk because of an observation I made.
Then the big stack, who was hitting everything early, does not slow down. He is playing too fast because of his early success and he start paying off hands. I get AAxx and the big stack raises from EP. I re-raise to drive the blinds out. My logic is always this. In Omaha, if you can get AA against any other single hand, you are the favorite. So, if I raise and drive the blinds out, I am the favorite to win the hand. The blinds fold as does the early limper and the big stack flips over a KKxx hand!!! Heaven. But we split low, so he gets ¼ of the pot.
I win another hand when my A22T hand calls a short stack all-in pre-flop and turns a boat.
Called a 3xBB raise from the big stack and had to dump post flop.
Took ½ a pot with a 3 player showdown. We are down to 5 handed. The big stack has bet off all his chips and is out.
There are 4 left and the tournament pays 4 placed. After I make the money, I start to play for first instead of the money. So as if on cue, I get a decision to make. I have As9s45 and the flop is QsJs9c. I am on the button. The chip leader bets $5k and the other players, who was almost out 10 hands ago but is now the chip leaders, makes it $20k. I have about $40k left. So I can fold here, but I calculate as follows:
I am sure he flopped a straight. I am absolutely sure. (I was right, he had KTTx). Calling is way wrong as he will put me all in on the turn anyway. I have to fold or go all in. I assess the table and there are two big stacks (in this hand) and another stack of $40k. So, if I fold, I am tied for 3rd. But, if my draw gets there, I will probably triple up as I expect the $5k player to call also, attracted to the big pot. As I think, the player NOT in the hand calls the clock on me. On one hand, I am almost thankful that I have to make a decision in 60 seconds. But on the other hand, I am always irritated when someone not in the hand calls the clock. I just think its bad form. In the end, I decide to play for first and make the raise. I get the callers and the turn is a T and the river a Q. He makes a boat and I did not make a flush anyway. I go out 4th, winning back my money.
Overall, I was very happy with my play and my decisions. So, I can’t cry about the outcome too much. I feel I am a competent O8B player, so I really wanted to win. But in the end, there was too much ground to make up and in the end I made the right move at the wrong time. (sic) Like life I guess.
Now, NLHE practice until Vegas.
No comments:
Post a Comment