How to Improve

[Pnigro]

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My PFT is about 6 or 7%, and I think, is fairly standard, but I wonder if I should be raising preflop closer to 10% of the time.

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Mine is 7-8 % and it works for me. I really don't know if it should be higher or lower. What I do know is that raising before the flop IS important.


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This is a big set of questions for me--how to play when you flop two (or even three) pair. My sense is that, if I have a shot at the low (or it is a high only board) AND there are three or more players in, they are worth calling in most cases to draw to the boat, but I haven't run the math, and this may just be flat wrong.

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I'm not good at math either, if you have math questions you should ask Buzz hehe.

About playing 2 pairs, 3 pairs and trips. I play them pretty much the same except that with 2 pairs I am a lot more careful and with trips I try to avoid bottom-middle trips.

Here is some other advice I posted about playing trips:

Pocket pairs are overrated. You need to hit the flop.

Avoid middle pocket pairs like 77-88-99 and such, they are not very profitable.

Even if you hit trips, you're very vulnerable. Most of the time you want top trips, that way if the board pairs you're gonna win the high.

Here's my advice:

A) If you hit top trips and there is a low draw that you don't have, be careful and hope the board pairs. You probably won't scoop.

Example: You have JJQK and flop is J-3-5. Bet/call until the river unless you sense someone hit a straight with any of the two cards left. When that happens, check/call and fold to 2 bets cold.

B) If you hit top trips and there is a low draw that you DO have, be aggressive, you have protection.

Example: You have KK24 and flop is K-3-5. You can bet with more confidence than the last example. If no one has A2 or A4, you're favorite. If someone has A2, they might get counterfeited. If someone has A2 and a 4 doesn't fall, you still get half the pot. If no low comes, you scoop. I think you get the point.

Also, if you have KKA4 for example and the flop comes K-2-3, well, it's time to masturbate. Transform into Mr.Aggression. Never slow play, that's for hold'em, not for full ring low limit omaha 8/b games.

C) If you hit top trips and there is no low draw, be aggresive, you're favorite.

For example: you hold KKQA and flop is K-9-2. I think this one's pretty obvious.

D) If you hit top trips and there is an obvious straight draw or a flush draw, be aggressive, make them pay, but SLOW DOWN (check/call) if a scary card comes in the turn or river.

E) If you hit top trips and there is a MADE straight or flush **DEPENDING OF THE NUMBER OF OPPONENTS* you can either be aggressive (for image purposes and scoop a big pot if the board pairs due to implied odds), check/call (just hoping for the board to pair) or fold (wait for better opportunities).

For example: You have KK23 and flop is K-Q-J and they are betting like crazy. First guy bets, second one raises, third guy re-raises then it's your turn. Let's say it's obvious that 1 or 2 of them have the straight. Well, you can either RAISE (to build the pot and a scoop a big one if the board pairs, because of the implied odds, they probably won't be able to lay down the flopped straight), you can FOLD (save those 3 bets and wait for a better opportunity) or you can CALL (which is weak imo).

Remember all that and play trips more like a drawing hand and you'll do fine.

There you go, "How to play flopped trips in LO8" by Pnigro.

Avoid hands like 88JJ not suited.

Play high pocket pairs that can produce a straight, have a low or are double suited like KKJQ or QQ23 or KKJ10 or 99JQ double suited. In omaha you need to look at the FOUR cards, not just 2.


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Another general question: as a rule, if I have a strong shot at the low, but virtually nothing on the high, I still play. If I have a strong shot at the high, but virtually nothing on the low, I tend to not keep playing. As a general rule, is this smart or idiotic?

-Makonnen

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Well, one rule is that if you have a strong shot at either low or high, you should keep playing, but passively, unless you're pretty sure you are the only one with the low or the only one with the high, it depends. For example if all I have is a low and no chance at high, I check/all to the river. However if all I have is a low, but the board is paired, connected, has 3 spades, an ace fell on the river, and there are 3-4 opponents, I tend to raise because I'm pretty sure I'm the only one with the low, considering all the possible high hands with that board and the ace on the river (probably counterfeiting someone).

The other rule is that if you have a strong shot at SCOOPING the pot, you should be aggressive and raise/re-raise.

Try to minimize your losses by being passive when all you hope is half the pot.

Try to maximize your winnings by 1) raising before the flop with strong hands and 2) being aggressive when you have a good chance at scooping.

[Kings_1549]

Starting hand selection is key. Know your draws and playing hands that all four cards that work together is also quite important. The book by Tener and Kreiger would be hugely helpful for lower limits, and The hutchinson system is an interesting way to select hands and call/raise hands In addition, this system will help you review the hands you played, so you should easily find links. Here's a link to the hutchnison:

http://ehutchison.homestead.com/omahasystem.html