Maybe I Should Start Playing More PLO?

I played a ton of tournaments last night, including the Blogger Skillz Series tournament, which was Pot Limit Omaha. This was only my 2nd PLO tournament, and I am proud to say I am 2 for 2 in making final tables in them. Unfortunately, I was the bubble boy last night, going out in 7th place. I was a short stack for the last half of the tournie, and with it down to 7 people, I tried to steal the blinds with a crappy hand from the button. The BB called, but I flopped bottom two pair, so I pushed my remaining stack in and got called by top pair. My opponent rivered one of their kickers to send me to the rail with a higher two pair. Bottom two pair after the flop in Omaha is just slightly ahead of top pair, so it wasn't a bad beat in my book.

The other tournaments didn't fair to well, and I didn't cash in any of them. I kept track of all of my all-in hands, and I have to say, it was pretty much the un-luckiest I have ever been. Out of those tournaments, I was all-in 16 times. Only one time did all my money get in as an underdog, and lost (77 vs AA), Got it in as a coinflip five times, and lost four of them. I got it all-in as a favorite ten times, and lost seven of them. Those hands:

• AK can't beat A8 on a Ace high flop. Turn and River were 8's.
• KK can't beat AQ All-in Pre-Flop. Ace on river.
• AK can't beat KJ on a AKT flop. Queen on river.
• AK can't beat A7 on AQJ. 7 on river.
• 77 can't beat 55 All-in Pre-Flop. 5 on turn.
• AJ can't beat QJ All-in Pre-Flop.
• AQ can't beat KQ All-in Pre-Flop. King on river.

Tournaments are still pretty fun for me, but I don't ever expect to make money off of them. In order to win tournaments, you have to be super lucky. I'd say tournaments are 10% skill, and 90% luck. Oh well, I ended up around even for the night when you factor in the cash games I was playing.

*******************

Here is a hand from last night that seems to be pretty common situation, and I want your opinion on it.

Villain is a donk with 3/4 of a stack to begin with. I flop two pair on a two diamond board. Villain calls my c-bet, and the third diamond comes on the turn, and he leads into me. Is this an easy fold? Or is it closer than I think?

Full Tilt Poker, $0.50/$1 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
SB: $102.45
BB: $100
UTG: $70.80
MP: $145
Hero (CO): $89
BTN: $104.50

Pre-Flop: Ks Jc dealt to Hero (CO)
UTG calls $1, MP folds, Hero raises to $4.50, 3 folds, UTG calls $3.50

Flop: ($10.50) Kd 7h Jd (2 Players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $8, UTG calls $8

Turn: ($26.50) 2d(2 Players)
UTG bets $20, Hero


I've been in a lot of really strange hands with donks lately, and I plan to put up a nice big post in the future with some of those hands. It should be interesting.

********************************

Here is today's Sweet Hand of the Day!

Full Tilt Poker, $1/$2 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players

Hero (BTN): $199
SB: $362.60
BB: $172.15
UTG: $534
CO: $565.05

Pre-Flop: 9h 9d dealt to Hero (BTN)
2 folds, Hero raises to $7, SB raises to $23, BB folds, Hero calls $16

Flop: ($48) 9c 5s Qh (2 Players)
SB bets $36, Hero calls $36

Turn: ($120) Ts (2 Players)
SB bets $79, Hero raises to $140 and is All-In, SB calls $61

River: ($400) 9s (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Results: $400 Pot ($3 Rake)
Hero showed 9h 9d (four of a kind, Nines) and WON $397 (+$198 NET)
SB showed As Jh (a pair of Nines) and LOST (-$199 NET)


What do you people think of my flat call of the 3-bet Pre-flop? Villain was TAG with stats of 18/15. I think that my implied odds are there to set mine, especially with me in position. Plus, my nines could easily be ahead there. Do you like a raise on the flop?

*************************

And the Sour Hand of the Day.

Not really sure what to say about this hand. This guy is a fish, and I see him around a lot, so I always try and get on his tables.

Full Tilt Poker, $1/$2 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players

UTG: $415.65
CO: $208.15
BTN: $107.70
SB: $165.15
Hero (BB): $212.25

Pre-Flop: Kh Kd dealt to Hero (BB)
3 folds, SB raises to $6, Hero raises to $20, SB calls $14

Flop: ($40) 2s 5h 5c (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets $32, SB calls $32

Turn: ($104) 4s (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero bets $99, SB raises to $113.15 and is All-In, Hero calls $14.15

River: ($330.30) 4h (2 Players - 1 is All-In)

Results: $330.30 Pot ($3 Rake)
SB showed 5d 5s (four of a kind, Fives) and WON $327.30 (+$162.15 NET)
Hero showed Kh Kd (two pair, Kings and Fives) and LOST (-$165.15 NET)

**********************

I'm updating my links to the right by adding a few more poker blogs out there. Check them out!

Eurekakid is from Australia and plays the same stakes as me, so I find it really interesting. He has some really good hand discussions on his blog. Check it out!

Fuel55 - Expert at playing the speed limit (pocket 5's).

RecessRampage - Lots of good poker content here.

Julius Goat - More good poker content.

Miami Don - Damn good writer and poker player living in Las Vegas.

Al Can't Hang - I can't believe I didn't have him on my links yet. Doh!


Cheers!