I've only been playing omaha for a couple days. I don't really know what I'm doing. Can anyone tell me how bad this is?

PokerStars Game #11913098507: Omaha Pot Limit ($0.50/$1.00) - 2007/09/06 - 21:48:52 (ET)
Table 'Thersites V' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: johnny0404 ($150.50 in chips)
Seat 2: tom1939 ($52 in chips)
Seat 4: sk1dzz ($92.40 in chips)
Seat 5: SCFanatiker ($200 in chips)
Seat 6: FFredd ($84.60 in chips)
Seat 7: sueacideking ($60 in chips)
Seat 8: Sledman72 ($23 in chips)
Seat 9: c_king_12 ($41.20 in chips)
c_king_12: posts small blind $0.50
johnny0404: posts big blind $1
KTFrog: sits out
sueacideking: posts big blind $1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to c_king_12 [Jc 9s 9c 8d]
tom1939: folds
sk1dzz: calls $1
SCFanatiker: calls $1
FFredd: calls $1
sueacideking: checks
Sledman72: calls $1
c_king_12: calls $0.50
johnny0404: checks
*** FLOP *** [4d 9d Th]
c_king_12: bets $6.65
johnny0404: calls $6.65
sk1dzz: folds
SCFanatiker: folds
FFredd: folds
sueacideking: calls $6.65
Sledman72: folds
*** TURN *** [4d 9d Th] [7d]
c_king_12: checks
johnny0404: checks
sueacideking: checks
*** RIVER *** [4d 9d Th 7d] [5s]
c_king_12: checks
johnny0404: bets $15
sueacideking: calls $15
c_king_12: folds
*** SHOW DOWN ***
johnny0404: shows [Kc 8s Ah Qh] (high card Ace)
sueacideking: shows [7h 3h 6d 8h] (a straight, Six to Ten)
sueacideking collected $54.20 from pot

It's not as bad as you think. I might try a 1/2 pot bet on the turn when the flush gets there, and shut down if I face any aggression, but I don't hate the way you played it either. Playing these hands oop is tough. Just ask me, I know. It's too bad no one raised you on the flop. I'd have been willing to get it all in there, with your stack size.
Why are you playing so short??

Eh, it is close, but no one with a flush is checking that turn in my opinion, but a fold is not bad, but a call or raise pre-flop is nice too

Yeah, I was ready to push if I got raised on the flop there. I wasn't sure what to do when the diamond came on the turn so I decided just to check. On the river I was ready to call when the first guy bet, but then I didn't think I could overcall when the second guy called him first. I thought maybe he had a small flush and checked turn because he just wanted a cheap showdown. I might be playing too carefully right now. Also, I've been playing $0.50/$1 and buying in for $50. Someone gave me advice to play with half a buy-in for omaha, especially while I'm still learning. Was it bad advice?

The players at 0.5/1 are actually very skilled IMO. Just make sure you try to stay in position when raising

I don't know the tendency of your opponents, but if you feel either of them is aggressive enough to bet out if checked to them this could be an oppurtunity to go for a check raise. You figure to have the best hand now and have a good amount of outs. I think if you're going to be playing a shortstack you're better off trying to get all your money in preflop w/ a big hand, or try and check raise the flop with the intention of getting all your money in. Making a pot sized bet on the flop is a significant portion of your stack at the moment and if any diamond hits on the turn it's going to be hard for you to continue. By getting all of you money (or enough that you a committed) on the flop w/ a checkraise you accomplish two things: you get your money in on the flop when you are in the lead the majority of the time (or you get everyone to fold) and you avoid having to make tough decisions on the turn and river where there are several scare cards that will cause you to shut down. I suggest reading Rolf Slotboom's book if you are going to be playing a short stack.

I disagree with the bolded statement.

If I'm drawing to a straight and turn a mid-flush, I often check behind. It's a form of pot control, and increases the likelihood of catching your opponent bluffing or value-betting hands like straights and sets on the river when the board doesn't pair. Betting the turn only bloats the pot against hands that either beat you, or are looking for a paired board to beat you. Oh, and don't be thinking that you should be "protecting your hand" by betting the turn, because a mid flush isn't a hand worth protecting in PLO.

Let's face it, mid flushes are only good as bluff catchers. If you're betting with a mid-flush on the river and get called, then you're beat (or you're facing an ideal opponent). However, if the turn is checked, then an opponent might lead into you with a straight, set, or worse flush as a value bet/bluff, or even lead with total air on a complete bluff. Obviously the nut flush is betting into you too, but at least playing your hand this way gives your opponent a betting range that includes hands that you beat (as opposed to you taking the betting lead with a mid-flush).

For this discussion, I am calling J-high flushes or lower as "mid flushes". Depending on my opponents, I may probe bet with Q-high or K-high flushes to see if there is a higher flush out there. Obviously, I *am* betting A-high flushes, because that is a hand that we can protect: it is currently the nuts.