[jojobinks]

so i check from the big blind with this garbage. then i get a reasonable (but not great) flop



check to the button, who bets. so i...?

[hachkc]

Check and fold to any action.

This is probably a trouble hand as you are not drawing to the nuts for the low or the high. You str8 draw on this board will cost you money in the long run as a boat is showing with a flush draw and low draw. Probably the best card for you would be an A to make a low as its unlikely anyone would have a 23 which means your 35 is probably good for a low. At best you are drawing to a distant non-nut hand for at most half the pot; not a wise move.

Standard Omaha/8 mantra
Always draw to the nuts
- or -
Always draw to 1st or 2nd nuts

[Double Eagle]

Fold. You have little or no chance to win low and your possible highs will more than likely be beat by a better high. O8 is a game of nuts. Your draw is not strong enough. This is an easy fold.

Aces are vitally important and you don't have one. Many succcessful players adopt the strategy regarding aces as "don't leave home without one!"

Good luck.

[PhilTheThrill14]

what they said.

it looks pretty but you'll lose money with this one.

[Jambine]

Trips, the heartbreak that is Omaha. Might be the start of a good low hand though

[w16227]

I am surprised that this made it around the table without a bet.

Me - I fold. too many ways to be behind here. The st8 draw is possible - but there are too many other players in the hand. There will definately be a flush draw out there - and probably one or two FH draws.

Your low is trouble as well. A2, 23, A3, 52 and A5 all beat you. Even with most of the threes gone, this is still a trouble hand.

The key here is the # of players in the game. Simply too many limpers.

There is another good strategy in this situation as well - RAISE. What - didn't I just say that the hand was too weak to play? - well for this to work, you need to have decent table knowledge. If the players are capable of folding poor draws, then a raise is called for in order to push players off of the 23 or A5 hands - as well as low flush draws like 10 high. Basicaly - you go into maniac mode hoping to push out non nut holdings, and slide into high or low (and sometimes both).

This is a very low limit game. So raising (sometimes called promotional raise) usually does not work. The traditional rule for these games is that you need to fold if you do not hold the nuts - or are drawing to the nuts. In this case - you need 2 cards for the nut low and the nut high is not possible. So throw them away.


O8 makes you think backwards in terms of holdem pot odds. The more callres there are, the stronger your hand needs to be in order to play as the poor draws (like your u/d st8 draw here) are usually not good. It is also very different in terms of pre-flop betting. A really strong hand such as A246 with the ace suited sould just limp from EP. You want callers with hands like this. Even in late position, a call is probablty the move. Since the hand values in O8 are closer then in HE (it is tough to get any hand that is more than a 15% favorite over any random hand), preflop raising does not usually increase your win rate.


All of the above pretty much relates to loose lower limit games (50%+ players seeing the flop with few skilled players sitting). Many of these games can be played using the traditional strategy on autopilot (limp with good starting hands and fold if the flop is not good for you).

The tougher games require more adjustments and strategy like the promotional raise described above. These games usually have 2-3 players seeing the flop with more preflop action.

[99%evil]

Definite bail out as others above have stated. Nothing going well in that hand unless an Ace and 2 comes out on the turn and river, then you get half the pot....maybe. Flush draw and FH potential are there, you hit your FH and your dead to many other FH hands.

[i run 8s]

First bet comes and you need to be gone for all the above reasons.

[ahopen78]

fold.
your straight draw is crap.

[hachkc]

Originally Posted by w16227

I am surprised that this made it around the table without a bet.

A2 doesn't want to advertise and is hoping someone else will bet it for him because he has no redraws.

4xxx is waiting for the FH.

Adxd is worried about the FH draw so doesn't want to commit early

66xx is in EP or slowplaying and hoping someone else will be it.

Its low limits, bet it, you'll always get some callers.

Your low is trouble as well. A2, 23, A3, 52 and A5 all beat you. Even with most of the threes gone, this is still a trouble hand.

Low is worthless unless an A hits at which point its pretty good.

There is another good strategy in this situation as well - RAISE. What - didn't I just say that the hand was too weak to play? - well for this to work, you need to have decent table knowledge. If the players are capable of folding poor draws, then a raise is called for in order to push players off of the 23 or A5 hands - as well as low flush draws like 10 high. Basicaly - you go into maniac mode hoping to push out non nut holdings, and slide into high or low (and sometimes both).

I'd save your money, at this low of limits a raise just isn't respected. I like the raise if you change the 6 to an A because you are blocking the nut low at this point. The only chance you have of a raise working is if the Ad or there are no 4's out (unlikely) .

A really strong hand such as A246 with the ace suited sould just limp from EP.

I have a painful story about this hand from my recent Vegas exploits at the 5/10 Full Kill Omaha/8 tables. I'll be putting up a trip report later about it.