A Couple $50 PLO Decisions (long)

[barriere99]

Full Tilt Poker
Pot Limit Omaha Ring game
Blinds: $0.25/$0.50
8 players
Converter

Pre-flop: (8 players) Hero is BB with 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, 2 folds, CO calls, Button folds, SB calls, Hero checks.

Flop: 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] ($2.5, 5 players)
SB checks, <font color="#cc0000">Hero bets $2.5</font>, UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, CO calls, SB folds.

Turn: 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] ($10, 3 players)
<font color="#cc0000">Hero bets $10</font>, UTG calls, CO folds.

River: 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] ($30, 2 players)
Hero?

Both UTG and I have $60 stacks. UTG has someone who I have played with extensively and tends to be quite tight preflop when he's on the short stack and just completely the opposite when he's got a bigger stack, noticeably looser pre and post flop and more willing to pay people off. He views me as very tight post flop. Ok, a great flop for me because of the huge straight draw and lack of two suit on the board. Turn gives me even more outs to hit a blackdoor flush so I continue strong betting. I think I was representing at least top set with possibly a big draw to back it up. Blank river, I am out of position and don't have a very much of an idea where he is in the hand up to this point. Fire another bullet or back off? If bet, how much?

Another situation I've run into a few times is the following. 6 Max game, a very predictable player raises from EP with what I am 90% positive is AAxx. I call from the cutoff of button with a pocketpair + connector such as 6678. The flop comes something like Qh 6c 3h. He immediatly bets out the pot and I am convinced that he has the nut flush draw and overpair with the aces. Let's say we both start with $50 stacks and there is about $10 in the pot when the action gets to me I can't exactly get my whole stack in. But I know that if I raise the pot, most people at this level will simply push with that flush draw and overpair as if it is the nuts (which isn't always bad, it's just a fact). Should I smooth call here and hope the turn is not a heart, and then come over the top once he bets the pot on the turn, which the villan will do a lot in this spot out of position even it the turn is in a blank. Or should I just jam as much as possible in on the flop?
This second example is so common at the lower levels because some people only raise with AAxx, so what's the best play? What about I have top two pair verses the Aces, does that change the situation at all?
Only my second post, got a lot on my mind.
Thanks.

[Slonye6]

This hand seems like a good spot for a bluff on the river, except that your read is he may pay people off (assuming he is playing a bigger stack, no stack sizes.) My playstyle/image would lead me to a 1/2 pot bet, representing the stone nuts with top set on a totally uncoordinated board, and risking half as much when called...but my opponents tend to fear my smaller bets more than my pot bets.

As for your other question, if you are sure he has AA + NFD there's no reason to eliminate the value of your position b y raising the flop to commit yourself. Especially if villain is likely to bet the turn again unimproved, where you can go ahead and 'call all-in' with better equity. Always ask yourself 'am I using my position or negating it?' when making actions in a hand such as this.

Also, TTP is much worse than a set against AA. If you have KQ65 on a flop of KQ2 and know the other players has AA, he has 5 outs + running board pair against you (3 2s, 2 As). With 222, he is on a 2 outer + whatever he can rustle up with his sidecards.