Getting No Respect Pre-Flop PLO8 $200

[Trumbull]

My continuting experiment into the $200 PLO8 games continues with very, very marginal success...I've played about 5000 hands and am barely profitable as compared to my play at the $100 level...

Recently I played a session on Bodog and a session on IntertopsPoker (Prima network) and couldn't get a good handle on how to play...When I was raising preflop I was getting 4-6 callers (most of whom would call with the most random crap in the world) if I was in EP and if I raised in LP into a bunch of limpers I still wouldn't be able to thin the field like I would want to...

My question is how to play in a game where raises don't get any respect and you won't be thinning the field...I was trying not to just raise with A2 combos, but was mixing it up and raising with A3 and 23 combos in late position but I seemed to be whiffing on a lot of flops and when I did hit one I'd usually have an opponent who would have a better hi draw than what I had...After awhile I wasn't raising at all because I just didn't see the point in building up a pot for the 5 other people in it...

I'm probably just having trouble adjusting to the higher buy-in level and should keep raising when I see fit...But I was just wondering what other people believe is the best way to play against the "any 4 will do" players...My guess is to keep raising and muck for only the pre-flop raise and then bring the hammer down on them when you get a good hand and they are in with crap...

[wiseheart]

move to NL?

Seriously, in that situation, I just play tight
and only bring it in for a raise with AAwx. This
way it doesn't feel as bad to fold a whiffed flop.
But, I only play occasional PLO8, so perhaps someone
will chime in with better experience.

[Kuso]

against CSs (pf at least), only value raise pf esp. with position and milk the mofos when you hit. don't feel obligated to CB if you whiff.

you really have to reraise if you want to thin the field in plo8. fwiw, i only fold the jankiest of janky hands that i play when the hand is raised pf -- it's just too easy to stack some of these mofos playing A2xx or AAxx like they're invulnerable.

[J. Henry Christ]

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I was trying not to just raise with A2 combos, but was mixing it up and raising with A3 and 23 combos in late position but I seemed to be whiffing on a lot of flops and when I did hit one I'd usually have an opponent who would have a better hi draw than what I had...

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe there's a good reason your raises aren't being respected.

[Trumbull]

Yeah Kuso, I guess only opening up in LP with position works...I think I'm just going thru a rough time of not connecting with flops when I raise preflop...Seemed like the only hands I was winning with was when I really started to play some marginal/crap hands like A5QKds in early position...

I felt myself tightening up majorly with my raises just because it wasn't thinning the field like I wanted...The only time it did sorta work was when I raised in the CO with AA92 and got mini-popped by the SB and I repopped pot...Finally got to see a heads up flop of KQJ...Good times, good times!!

[hra146]

First of all I totally agree with Kuso, but another thing:

A very good poker player isnt good because he can play extremely tight/loose/aggressive/passive/preflop/postflop BUT because he ADAPTS (to the table´s character).

I cant really see a bad thing, or any reason to complain here. You have a table filled with donks calling your pfraises with junk. I think thats great.

How about giving up a tiny bit of profit playing hands that only fare well against a thin field, and exploit the huge advantage you have when playing hands that actually like family pots. I mean, its PERFECT when you can raise such hands considerably up, and still get many callers. You get more in PF and additionally give them better odds (and a better incentive) to stay in the pot when theyre drawing dead at you.

[niss]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I was trying not to just raise with A2 combos, but was mixing it up and raising with A3 and 23 combos in late position but I seemed to be whiffing on a lot of flops and when I did hit one I'd usually have an opponent who would have a better hi draw than what I had...

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe there's a good reason your raises aren't being respected.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought the same thing when I read this. And I'm not even a Christian.

[Kuso]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah Kuso, I guess only opening up in LP with position works...I think I'm just going thru a rough time of not connecting with flops when I raise preflop...Seemed like the only hands I was winning with was when I really started to play some marginal/crap hands like A5QKds in early position...

I felt myself tightening up majorly with my raises just because it wasn't thinning the field like I wanted...The only time it did sorta work was when I raised in the CO with AA92 and got mini-popped by the SB and I repopped pot...Finally got to see a heads up flop of KQJ...Good times, good times!!

[/ QUOTE ]

i think this is really a texas HE way of thinking. loose plo8 games are all about value -- there isn't really an issue of "respect". in THE, there's always the overpair or set to fear, but in plo8 games, you've got four cards and somebody almost always hits the flop enough to call a CB -- that's why people like the game, and that's why the games are good.

as for A5QKds... hmmm, i open raise with that from MP on. am i really that much of a donkey? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[StrikeR300]

Can't wait till I make PLO8 200 (stupid NLHE killing my roll). 5-way Raised flops, ZOMG! According to Capeleti (sic?) In O8 you want to be loved, not feared. Sounds like you're in a way profitable situation, adjust & dominate!

[Trumbull]

Kuso, nah not at all...I don't usually play this stuff...Maybe I'm playing too tight??

All depends on if you can make decisions on the hand post-flop...I'm still kinda experimenting with hands and stuff like that...