PL O/8 low-stakes STT questions

[2Fast]

I'm normally a NL MTT player but lately I've been playing a lot of PL O/8 STTs bc they are a lot of fun and so far I've been doing pretty well. Am sure this is mostly variance but I really enjoy them and it's a great change of pace from NL all the time.

Anyway, I just have a couple questions/observations about the PL version of the game at the lower stakes.

Genreally I limp a lot (as do others) in the early stages and wait to see the flop, and will call with a lot of hands if it's cheap and I'm in mid-late position (or there are a couple limpers in front of me). I don't raise alot early pre-flop unless ther are only a few limpers and I've got stuff like JJA2 (or KK and AA with any other low cards) since from what I've seen generally at the low $1-5 stakes I play early raises don't get a lot of respect anyway and just build a big pot that will be hard to play.

I have been playing pretty tight post-flop early on too (dumping hands that miss or don't connect with enough outs) but when it gets toward the bubble I generally become much more aggressive and raise a bit more pre-flop even with stuff like JJA6, QQ23, KKAQ etc.

Am just wondering what people think of this type of play at the lower levels and also when people generally open up their game. Thx.

Note: I read the article by Frank Jerome about opening hands and found it very interesting and that's sort of what I've been playing (except I was also playing middle pairs with mid suited connectors, which is a no-no apparently)

[Split Suit]

seems like a decent strategy, esp because ur just learning. and yes, stay away from middle cards (5678s/s) is not a good hand. think about it...when u hit urs, ur only gettin half the pot. in PLO8 SNGs i generally play quite a few limped pots earlly to get something going. if i can get a double stack earlly, im very dangerous. remember, when blinds get to 25/50, start stealing a lot in position, ppl think blind stealing starts at 100/200 and will b passive with their blinds at 25/50+1/200. just build away. o, and ur very correct to open ur raising range on the bubble huge.

seems like u have the right idea, gl

[cubaman]

good luck

[KajunKenny]

I have been playing up to $20 SNG's at stars. I play my cards. If it's pot limit and I got something like AA2k double suited I am making a nice raise. If the flop hits me, I am going to try to get all my chips in the pot ASAP. I have noticed that alot of holdem players will call with top pair or a str8 draw with a flush draw/ low on the board. So if you got the low and chance a flush come in raising. I have also noticed that if you get it down to 3 people in the pot and the board pairs. Usually you can scoop with your two pair Aces & XXX and get the low.

Also I look for situations where I have the nut high and low. I have quartered so many people on hands like this... A246... with a flop of 3 5 7 rainbow. Then a 2 comes off on the turn and river. These donks will get all there money in with the wheel. Having the 7 high straight seems to be un-important to these clowns.

Granted I say all this but the other day I got busted in a hand something like this.

I had KQJJ... the flop was J T 9 with two clubs. So I got the nut straight, top set and a flush draw is out there and I am betting. Got one caller. The turn is the 8. No help to a flush draw. So I bet the pot. He calls. River is the 4 Clubs. I check he makes a small bet. I call. Leaving myself with about 400 in chips. He turns over his 6 high kicker in hand for a flush draw. This clown had no pair and only a 6 high kicker and took it down. I was like wow. Guess that's the Variance when playing with donks. They should know that usually a J high kicker in your hand isn't any good for a flush draw. If he keeps playing like this he will lose alot of money...