Basic "Live" Game questions

[BigSlick75093]

I'm going to Vegas next month and hope to find some live Omaha 8 games. I've never played live before, only on-line. I was just wondering a few basic things:

1) How many flops will someone who plays correctly normally see in live action? What is considered "too loose", if this value can even be quantified?

2) With 4 hole cards to look at and sort through, do most players look at their cards as they're dealt to them so that when it's their turn to act, they're ready, or do you still wait until it's your turn to act on the flop like in Hold'em?

[Split Suit]

Live O8 is like AIDS. its a surprise at first, then u start getting sick, then u level out at sickness, then u feel fine randomly, then u start dying.

the game is slow as hell, very boring, ur generally playin with ppl who have a high chance of dyyin within the next few hours. also, b prepared to go thru long long hauls of missing every flop with lookers, and also just folding out for hours preflop

to answer ur questions:

1.) maybe 0-3 an hour? expect to see about 25-30hands/hr (very very very very slow). too loose is when u start playin like the person sittin on ur direct left, direct right, or in any other seat at the table

2.) the "reads" ur tryyin to get here dont rly exist. the reads come more in the form of betting patterns. and it doesnt rly matter, ur gonna b folding preflop more than not anyway...

gl, and make sure u put in at least 40hrs so u can weed thru the terrible variance u might encounter. also make sure u dont tilt off bets. b smart, and make sure every single bet u make is for value...NO BLUFFING

[EffenDolts]

I look at my hole cards as they are dealt. I would hate to make the game any slower.

I believe it is much less likely you will pick up a tell by watching others look at their cards. Most people are playing either crappy hands or marginal hands. What do you expect to see by watching their reaction when they look at their hole cards?

I doubt that I give up much of a tell when looking at my cards one at a time. It is hard to get excited about any particular card that I am looking at. It usually takes 4 cards to make a playable hand. Besides, most of my opponents are struggling to memorize their cards, not looking at me.

At lower limits, I see at least 4 flops per orbit in a 10-handed game. It is important to play well after the flop and to know your opponents.

Effen

[fishyak]

1) Use your basic PF strategy but be ready to adjust to game that may be wildly different than your online game. Playable hands tend to come in streaks. Don't get sucked into a loose game by lowering your standards PF.

That one thing will make post-flop play easier.

Play position. And in a loose game, if you are the "tighty" raise infrequently. You won't be able to isolate by raise and can find yourself quartered a lot on your raises. That is a royal pain.

Good luck - keep the booze comin - the game is slow.

[gads_3]

I haven't been playing O8 for very long and at this time I love the game. Two nights at the local casino are dealer's choice nights and since I started playing O8 I have found hold-em to be the boring game and O8 the fun action game.

From what I hear after you've been playing O8 for a while, then it starts to get really boring. I'm not there yet. I love the action, big pots, the loose tables (6 to 8 callers most hands to see the flop), and did I mention the big pots(?). And most importantly, I've been taking a lot more money from the tables since I started playing O8 (my variance has dropped down a whole lot).

So, go and enjoy the loose tables and the action that you get from the other players. Just make sure you don't get sucked into playing like them (any 4 cards will do).

[chaos]

I look at my cards when it is my turn.

I watch the other players look at their cards, especially the players who act after me. Even though many opponents are clueless and play trash, I occasionally pick up a tell that someone has a strong hand (or what they think is a strong hand).

- chaos