HA Quiz

Anyone actually know how HA stands for pot-limit Hold-Em and Omaha? Was the O just already used up, and A the next vowel that came to mind? Couldn't they have re-appropriated the O, given it's more obvious association with PLO? I've already thought too much about this.

We're going round-n-round today. One NLHE hand followed by one PLO hand.

This hand was puzzling. It's a case of an opponent (I won't say donkey yet) making a series of unorthodox moves which froze me in my tracks.

50/2/2 over 58
Full Tilt Poker, $0.10/$0.25 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

MP: $26.84
CO: $34.33
BTN: $46.39
SB: $5
Hero (BB): $25.70
UTG: $23.96
Pre-Flop: Q K dealt to Hero (BB)
2 folds, CO raises to $0.75, BTN calls $0.75, SB folds, Hero raises to $3.50, CO folds, BTN raises to $6.25, Hero calls $2.75

Original raiser had a PFR above 20, so it looked like a great spot for a squeeze. Then the BTN made a min-4-bet. I really wasn't sure what to make of it, but I wasn't folding with such great odds and a decently strong hand. At this point, I'm planning to fold if I don't hit the flop hard.

Flop: ($13.35) Q A 3 (2 Players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $3.50,
Hero?

I don't hit hard, but I do hit. Still, I'm ready to fold to any reasonable C-bet. Then villain leads for just $3.50. What do make of this, and how to plan for the rest of the hand?

Now for the Omaha round. I had no HUD running and no reads on any opponents.

Bodog Poker, $0.10/$0.25 PLO cash game, 6 Players
BTN: $21.50
Hero (SB): $28.58
BB: $17.15
UTG: $22.79
MP: $26.80
CO: $40.27

Pre-Flop: Hero dealt As Qc 5s 5d
UTG calls $0.25, MP raises to $0.65, CO folds, BTN calls $0.65, Hero calls $0.55, BB folds, UTG calls $0.40

Flop ($2.85): 6c 9c 5h
Hero checks, UTG checks, MP bets $0.85, BTN raises to $5.40,
Hero?

Locking in on a PLO Target

I've found myself back at the low-stakes PLO tables with increasing frequency. A few training videos have provided some much-needed guidance. And taking a break from NLH keeps me feeling Summer's Eve fresh with my attitude and approach to both games.

Here, I found a really loose Villain at a 25PLO table, and had the following sequence of swingy hands against him. These hands weren't all back to back, but the order has been preserved. They were all played within a ~60 hand session.

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Hand 1

Full Tilt Pot-Limit Omaha, $0.25 BB (6 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
saw flop saw showdown
Hero (CO) ($25)
Villain (Button) ($76.90)
SB ($36.10)
BB ($8.80)
MP ($10.25)
Preflop: Hero is CO with 9, 10, 7, J
MP calls $0.25, Hero raises to $1.10, Villain raises to $1.95, 2 folds, MP calls $1.70, Hero calls $0.85

Flop: ($6.20) 2, J, 8 (3 players)
MP checks, Hero checks, Villain bets $6.20, 1 fold, Hero raises to $23.05 (All-In), Villain calls $16.85

Turn: ($52.30) 10 (2 players, 1 all-in)
River: ($52.30) 5 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $52.30 Rake: $2.60
Results:
Villain had A, 4, 4, 3 (flush, Ace high).
Hero had 9, 10, 7, J (straight, Jack high).

Outcome: Villain won $49.70

Not much to say. Beautiful wrap + top pair flop, and villain not only 3-bet min-raises PF with a garbage hand, but calls all-in with a bare nut flush draw, which got there. The first taste of what we're up against here...duly noted.


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Hand 2

Full Tilt Pot-Limit Omaha, $0.25 BB (5 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
saw flop saw showdown
Hero (BB) ($25)
Villain (UTG) ($65.40)
MP ($74.75)
Button ($9.20)
SB ($31.30)
Preflop: Hero is BB with 4, 3, 6, 4
Villain calls $0.25, MP raises to $0.50, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.25, Villain calls $0.25

Flop: ($1.60) 5, A, A (3 players)
Hero checks, Villain checks, MP checks

Turn: ($1.60) 2 (3 players)
Hero bets $1.20, Villain calls $1.20, 1 fold

River: ($4) 4 (2 players)
Hero bets $2.75, Villain calls $2.75

Total pot: $9.50 Rake: $0.45
Results:
Hero had 4, 3, 6, 4 (full house, fours over Aces).
Villain had Q, 3, 8, 5 (straight, five high).
Outcome: Hero won $9.05

Here I continue to test my opponent. I'm not thrilled with the underboat, but judging from the looseness of my opponent, I can safely bet and fold to a river raise, while extracting value from a set or trips.

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Hand 3

Full Tilt Pot-Limit Omaha, $0.25 BB (5 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
saw flop saw showdown
Hero (UTG) ($33)
Villain (MP) ($61.85)
Button ($27.35)
BB ($6.80)
Preflop: Hero is UTG with J, 6, 8, 8
Villain raises to $0.85, Button calls $0.85, BB calls $0.75, Hero calls $0.60

Flop: ($3.40) 6, 6, K (4 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, Villain bets $1.70, 2 folds, Hero raises to $8.50, Villain calls $6.80

Villain could have me crushed with KK, but a bare K or AA is much more likely. I plan to extract a ton of value from my hand.

Turn: ($20.40) K (2 players)
Hero bets $11, Villain calls $11

This is a disaster card, and I really should be check-folding here. Without thinking much about it, I fired another barrel and was quickly called. Still hoping to boat up and get more value.

River: ($42.40) 3 (2 players)
Hero checks, Villain bets $10.75, Hero folds

I whiff, and now I'm done with the hand. Should have saved the turn bet. My opponent will take this line with me a few more times - calling flop bets and then firing when I check to him on later streets.

Total pot: $42.40 Rake: $2
Results:
Villain didn't show
Outcome: Villain won $40.40

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Hand 4

Full Tilt Pot-Limit Omaha, $0.25 BB (5 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
saw flop saw showdown
Hero (Button) ($25)
Villain (SB) ($82.80)
BB ($25.65)
MP ($10)
Preflop: Hero is Button with J, 8, 2, J
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.85, Villain calls $0.75, 1 fold

Flop: ($1.95) 5, 2, 10 (2 players)
Villain bets $1.95, Hero calls $1.95

Turn: ($5.85) 9 (2 players)
Villain bets $0.25, Hero raises to $5, Villain calls $4.75

I figure I can rep a set or a monster draw with this raise, but donk villain is not getting it. I have outs though.

River: ($15.85) K (2 players)
Villain checks, Hero checks

Total pot: $15.85 Rake: $0.75
Results:
Hero had J, 8, 2, J (one pair, Jacks).
Villain had 6, 5, 9, 10 (two pair, tens and nines).

Outcome: Villain won $15.10

We're getting a really clear picture of how the Villain plays. He plays marginal holdings and is unfazed by aggression. He has yet to make a raise. Now we just need to find the right time to exploit it.

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Hand 5

Full Tilt Pot-Limit Omaha, $0.25 BB (6 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
saw flop saw showdown
Hero (CO) ($25)
Villain (Button) ($90.10)
SB ($25.40)
BB ($25)
MP ($10)
Preflop: Hero is CO with 10, J, 7, 9
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.85, Villain calls $0.85, 1 fold, BB calls $0.60

Flop: ($2.65) Q, 6, 3 (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $2.20, Villain calls $2.20, 1 fold

By this point I shouldn't be C-betting anymore, given villain's stubbornness. But I do anyways, and predictably get called.

Turn: ($7.05) 8 (2 players)
Hero bets $7.05, Villain calls $7.05

Perfect card for a 2nd barrel, as I pick up a big wrap + flush draw. Again, villain is unshaken.

River: ($21.15) 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, Villain bets $13, Hero raises to $14.90 (All-In), Villain calls $1.90

I hit my flush draw, and feign weakness by checking. We've been down this path before, so I expect him to bet with both weak made hands like 2-pair and also with missed draws.

Total pot: $50.95 Rake: $2.50
Results:
Villain had 10, 7, 10, 6 (one pair, tens).
Hero had 10, J, 7, 9 (flush, Jack high).

Outcome: Hero won $48.45

I'll almost never play the river like this against a random opponent in PLO, since I miss out on value by not betting my flush, and most opponents will check behind if they don't have a flush themselves. But I was confident my opponent would fire this river and that it was the best way to extract value. It turns out he had almost nothing, so I guess he was just trying to play my tendencies.

The gameplan now is simple - play solid and aggressively extract value from strong made hands. Villain still has a huge stack and clearly has no idea how to manage his risk here.

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Hand 6

Full Tilt Pot-Limit Omaha, $0.25 BB (6 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
saw flop saw showdown
Hero (UTG) ($47.20)
Villain (MP) ($63.85)
CO ($25.30)
Button ($23.90)
SB ($27.55)
BB ($10)
Preflop: Hero is UTG with 4, 6, 5, A
Hero calls $0.25, Villain raises to $1.10, CO calls $1.10, 3 folds, Hero calls $0.85

Taking shots with a wider range than normal against this opponent, because the pay off is potentially great.

Flop: ($3.65) 4, 4, 6 (3 players)
Hero checks, Villain bets $3.65, 1 fold, Hero raises to $14.60, Villain calls $10.95

Beautiful flop, now stick with the plan and fire away. In addition to his natural aversion to folding, he may feel like I am trying to bully him now, or also that he needs to try to gain back what he lost to me in our last showdown.

Turn: ($32.85) 9 (2 players)
Hero bets $31.50 (All-In), Villain calls $31.50

River: ($95.85) A (2 players, 1 all-in)
Total pot: $95.85 Rake: $3
Results:
Hero had 4, 6, 5, A (full house, fours over Aces).
Villain had K, J, 8, K (flush, Ace high).

Outcome: Hero won $92.85

Calling an all-in with the 2nd-nut flush on a paired board. May the world never stop producing this type of Omaha player! I sadly had to quit shortly after this hand, but would have played all night so long as this guy was donking off in this fashion.

In general, it can be frustrating when an opponent like this pulls some suckouts or hits with an unpredictable hand. It's a high variance style but it eventually trends way downward, and you often just need to stick it out to ride your own upward swing when this opponent goes down!