PLO Lessons Learned Pt. 1

I'm getting spanked at the PLO 6-max games on FTP so far, down about 5-6 buy-ins after just over 2000 hands. But it isn't a total waste of time and money. I'm learning some important lessons, tricks, and tips that I hope will lead me back to profitability.

Lesson 1: Be Very Selective About Multi-Barrel Bluffs
Lesson 2: Beware the River Trap When a Draw Comes In
Lesson 3: The River Raise Is Not a Bluff

Three lessons in one post, and I have not 1, not 2, but 3 blunderous hands to illustrate all of these points.

Full Tilt Pot-Limit Omaha, $0.25 BB (5 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
SB ($20.10)
BB ($19.20)
UTG ($11.71)
Hero (MP) ($25.01)
Button ($28.11)
Preflop: Hero is MP with A, 8, A, 6
1 fold, Hero bets $0.85, 2 folds, BB calls $0.60

Flop: ($1.80) 4, 3, 6 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($1.80) J (2 players)
BB bets $1.80, Hero calls $1.80

River: ($5.40) J (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $3, BB raises to $10, Hero calls $7

Potentially scary card (Lesson 2), but villain has bet the turn (looking like a made flush or a complete bluff) and then checked the river (looking scared of the board pairing).  With the nut non-boat, I can bet and expect a Q or K-high flush to call.  But villain raises, and I have to learn Lesson 3 the hard way.

Total pot: $25.40 | Rake: $1.27
Results:
BB had 6, J, Q, 10 (full house, Jacks over sixes).
Hero had A, 8, A, 6 (flush, Ace high).
Outcome: BB won $24.13

Here's another one, but this one's different in that I have no showdown value to fall back on.  It's a complete bluff...

Full Tilt Pot-Limit Omaha, $0.25 BB (6 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
UTG ($62.15)
MP ($43.37)
Hero (CO) ($25)
Button ($14.22)
SB ($30.93)
BB ($20.93)
Preflop: Hero is CO with 3, 3, 4, 4
UTG bets $0.85, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.85, 3 folds

Flop: ($2.05) 6, 9, J (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($2.05) 10 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $1.85, UTG calls $1.85

Scary turn for a lot of villain's raising range (any AAxx or KKxx), and he's checked twice.  Good spot to fire and try to take it away.

River: ($5.75) 9 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $4.50, UTG raises to $17.25, Hero folds

If villain's plan was either hoping for a diamond or for a free showdown, I figure I can fire here and fold out most holdings.  Given my lack of showdown value, it's pretty much a must-bet spot.  And so is the subsequent fold to the check-raise.  Lesson 2, and maybe a little bit of Lesson 1, although it seems to me like a perfectly decent spot to bluff.  A non-paired rag would have been even better though.

Total pot: $14.75 | Rake: $0.73
Results:
UTG didn't show
Outcome: UTG won $14.02

One more, all 3 lessons on display...

Full Tilt Pot-Limit Omaha, $0.25 BB (4 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
Hero (Button) ($25.78)
SB ($25)
BB ($42.96)
UTG ($26.93)
Preflop: Hero is Button with J, 7, J, 8
1 fold, Hero bets $0.85, 1 fold, BB calls $0.60

Flop: ($1.80) 3, Q, K (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($1.80) 7 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $1.45, BB calls $1.45

After checking twice, this bet is basically just an attempt to get villain to fold a weak Q or K, and to prevent any additional scary cards from falling.

River: ($4.70) 7 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $3.40, BB raises to $9.50, Hero calls $6.10

Trips on the river gives me plenty of showdown value, so I think a bet here is pretty automatic.  But perhaps I should be happy with the showdown value of this hand.  Once I get raised, it's just a matter of determining whether villain could possibly be loose enough to raise with worse trips.  It's very unlikely.  Hello Lesson 3. 

Total pot: $23.70 Rake: $1.18
Results:
Hero had J, 7, J, 8 (three of a kind, sevens).
BB had K, 2, 7, A (full house, sevens over Kings).
Outcome: BB won $22.52

Making big mistakes on the river is a major leak, since the pot is usually inflated at that point.  All of these lessons pertain to river actions and mistakes, making them especially important.