The Return, Part Trois

[bdc30 0]

Full Tilt PokerPot Limit Omaha Ring gameBlinds: $0.25/$0.505 playersConverterStack sizes:Hero: $49CO: $60.50Button: $18.50SB: $95.95BB: $149.10Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is UTG with 9 A 6 T Hero raises to $1.75, CO folds, Button raises to $6, SB folds, BB calls, Hero calls.Flop: T 8 2 ($18.25, 3 players)BB checks, Hero checks, Button is all-in $12.5, BB calls, Hero raises all-in $43, BB is the 60/0 guy from hand #1...Button is an unknown

[simo_8ball 1]

I like it. You should have enough fold and showdown equity to make this ok.

[BudBundy 0]

I like it too. I can't believe three of us agree with everything on three different hands!!!Group hug anyone?

[jmbreslin 0]

Can you guys explain why this is okay?I've noticed that you guys seem to play quite differently from the way I play based on what I've read about Omaha strategy, so I'm trying to figure out why.First, that seems like a very marginal hand to be raising UTG with.Second, Hero is pushing all in on the flop with nothing but a mediocre TP and a GSD, from what I can tell.How is this okay?

[bdc30 0]

First, that seems like a very marginal hand to be raising UTG with.-double suited hand (one of which to the ace) that connects in all kinds of ways to make straights is good enough to raise from any position - you have to build pots with these handsSecond, Hero is pushing all in on the flop with nothing but a mediocre TP and a GSD, from what I can tell. How is this okay?Button 3bet it to $6 preflop, and the BB called $5.50 cold (with only his blind invested). We can 90% guarantee that Button has AAxx here, and can "hope" that BB called with big cards or big pairs as well (AKKx, AKQJ, KKQJ, etc). Therefore, most of their outs are hopefully in each other's hands and if we can so much as pair up a kicker, we should be good. We also have backdoor flush and straight draws for some added value. What I was really trying to do with the shovel was push the BB out of the hand, since he only check/called the flop. With the "dead" $12 in there, I think we're getting the right price, and are in great shape against naked AAxx. As it turned out, BB did call and as expected Button had AAxx, and BB had AKKx. Even though I had only top pair on the flop, I had the highest equity % when the money went in, 42%, and did end up taking down the hand with running spades

Make sense?

[jmbreslin 0]

Wow, fascinating explanation, thanks. So even though you were likely behind on the flop, you were willing to put all your money in because you had enough outs to a winning hand because both villains were likely drawing to the outs in one another's hand. Did I understand your explanation correctly?I'm still a bit suspicious about the PF raise. Everything I've read about Omaha strategy says to avoid raising OOP because position is so valuable in this game - more often than not you'll end up giving away your hand OOP by having to CB to either protect what you hit or check to give up on the hand. Do you disagree with this strategy?

[bdc30 0]

Wow, fascinating explanation, thanks. So even though you were likely behind on the flop, you were willing to put all your money in because you had enough outs to a winning hand because both villains were likely drawing to the outs in one another's hand. Did I understand your explanation correctly?I'm still a bit suspicious about the PF raise. Everything I've read about Omaha strategy says to avoid raising OOP because position is so valuable in this game - more often than not you'll end up giving away your hand OOP by having to CB to either protect what you hit or check to give up on the hand. Do you disagree with this strategy?

Yep, that's pretty much the gist of it -- I'm NEVER ahead on the flop (in terms of hand rank), but as shown, my equity in the pot was higher than both other hands I was up against. Like I said as well, I was hoping to sack BB out of the hand, since he'd looked pretty weak with the flat call preflop and the check/call ON the flop, and the extra $18 he'd put in to that point would have given me more than enough value in the hand.Simo can probably talk more about the values of raising preflop in this game. UTG however in a 6-max game is similar to MP in full-ring, if you think about it. You're only 2 or 3 spots off the button at most. A good early position raise will usually push out a few players behind you, thus getting you position on the blinds if they call (which they often do because they think they're "priced in") I'll raise 10x more from UTG than I will from the blinds.