My PLO Education Begins

On-line, its my contention that most hobby players do not have a significant edge over the majority of on-line hold ‘em players, either limit or NL. The market is saturated with books and on-line instruction which serves to educate and create a more equalized playing field, as far as pre-flop play is concerned. Since most on-line tournaments and SNGs are short-stacked play, most of the action is PF where there is not much edge for a hobby player. Yes, lots of players still make lots of mistakes, but from my observations the hold ‘em games are no where near as good as they were 3 years ago.

So, I am learning PLO on-line. Based on what little I have read about PLO, most significantly the Chris Ferguson PLO Chapter in the Full Tilt Tournament Strategy book, I see lots of players playing PLO like hold ‘em. Aside from the Full Tilt book, I am essentially educating myself. So, here is my first Top 10 strategy observations about on-line PLO:

1. Pre-flop you should devalue pairs. A hand like Q-Q-8-6 is almost nothing but trouble if played like a hold ‘em hand. This hand has the same value as something like 8-8-Q-6 – you need to hit a set on the flop to go anywhere. If an overcard hits on the flop, the pocket pair is worthless. If the board is connected at all, the pocket pair is worthless or will become worthless very shortly. You cannot go to showdown without improving a single pocket pair.

2. Mid-range and low connecting cards are great. A hand like Q-J-T-9 is very strong. A hand with three connecting cards like Q-J-9-3 is also worth seeing the flop for a raise. Low connecting cards are also strong, like 6-5-4-2. These hands allow for significant decision-making on the flop, and become very easy hands to play if you miss the flop – you just fold. Higher connecting hands like A-K-J-9 are strong, but are not as strong as the mid-range and low connecting cards because you cannot hit wrap straight-draws. Example: the hand Q-J-T-7 on a board of K-T-8 is better than holding A-K-J-9 on a board of K-Q-T.

3. Bluffing – don’t do it except in very rare circumstances. All players call with all manner of draws. If the board is two suited or is connected in any way, do not bluff. The only situation that I have encountered where bluffing can work is in late position, everyone has checked to you, and the board is completely uncoordinated like K-7-2 rainbow. But even then, the pot will be small and relatively worthless compared to the pots that you will win in Omaha with good hands.

4. In any pot with 3 or more players (including you), if a flush is showing on board and you cannot beat the nut flush or another high flush, just fold. Do not play your straight, set or 2-pair hand against a flush board – it’s a loser 19 out of 20 times. I may be off on the frequency here, but with players betting into a flush board in a multi-way pot, someone has the flush.

5. Do not slow-play except in rare circumstances. If you hit your hand on the flop, just bet it. If someone else has a hand or a draw, you will get action. If no one else has a hand or a draw, you will take the pot with the bet. From my limited experience, check-raising in a multi-way pot, and usually even in a heads-up pot, will just result in getting all the chips in the middle before the river because everyone quickly becomes pot committed to the hand and is probably correct, or close to correct, to call all raises after the betting starts.

6. You cannot be scared of playing to your good draws because that is how everyone else is betting (but you should still apply the math and fold when not getting correct odds). In hold ‘em, draws lead to semi-bluffing opportunities. In Omaha, draws lead to everyone getting their entire stack in the middle on a regular basis.

7. I hit a lot more sets in this game than I would have guessed. Maybe I’m just getting lucky with hitting sets – I need to read up on this. But I seem to hit sets with startling frequency, and top set can lead to big winning pots against all the drawing hands that are willing to get their stack in the middle.

8. When you have middle or bottom set, do not be surprised when you are beat by a better set. It happens much more frequently in Omaha than in hold ‘em.

9. A-A-x-x hands must be played as fast as possible pre-flop. You absolutely have to jam for the max raise with this hand pre-flop, because its value decreases greatly when you get action on the flop. If your table has lots of pre-flop raises, this may be one of the slow-play exceptions – just call or make a modest raise in EP with A-A hands, with the intention of re-raising the max pre-flop if there is a raise behind you.

All opinions expressed herein are subject to revision as I continue to learn this game. I have a lot to learn.