$10/$20 omaha hi/lo, four-handed

i'm UTG/CO with A 5 5 2 .
i RAISE, Button folds, SB cold-calls, BB calls.

(6 SB) 7 3 2
SB bets, SB calls.

(5 BB) 6
SB bets, i CALL.

(7 BB) J
SB bets, i CALL.

i was so lost during this hand. help?

- preflop, should i just limp here, or is raising okay? if one of the 5's was a K/Q/J/10 it's a clear raise, but if one of them was a 3/4/6 i think a case can be made for limping. i'm really not sure, though.

- yucky flop. i raised out of simple aggression, but i'm not sure i like it.

- even yuckier turn. i think a strong case can be made for folding on the turn, but i stubbornly thought i could at least get the low.

aseem

Limit O8 is a pretty shitty shorthanded game in general. The variance diffrence in 4 handed O8 as compared to 4 handed Holdem relative to full ring is HUGE.

I wouldn't even bother to play it shorthanded.

I am pretty lazy, though.

i didn't understand what you were saying, maybe because one of your words was censored by the forum.

are you saying that the variance in shorthanded O8 is huge, more so than shorthanded hold 'em (which is interesting because longhanded O8 has WAY less variance than longhanded hold 'em)?

aseem

i would have just called it down the whole way.. smooth call on the flop.. picked up the nut flush on the turn yea if i don't improve i fold on the river . hows that sound?

hmm...

i'm not sure i should be trusting the advice of someone who doesn't know that i have no nut flush draw on the turn.

you see, in omaha, you have to use exactly two of your hole cards.

i can't make a flush using two of my whole cards even if the river is also a spade.

aseem

wtf. omaha sucks. lol im drunk sorry.

O8 is a shitty short handed game.

PLO8's not so bad, but Limit O8 becomes a high variance card catching exersize if it's much shorter than 6 handed.

YMMV.

smash, thanks for letting me know. i'll steer clear of shorthanded O/8, especially above my bankroll. at least for now.

aseem

I don't see a problem with the pre-flop raise, as it is shorthanded. Unless the table has been very loose agressive, you must raise there.

From there though I am baffled as to the correct course of action. Your opponent doesn't appear to have the ace-four (as he only called your raise on the flop), unless he is a tricky opponent IMO and was waiting for the turn to hit you. Good thing you decided to check it down from there IMO.