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PLO8, confused.com

edited December 2011 in The Poker Clinic
Finally built up the courage to spend a whole £2.25 on a PLO8 DYM, and won, despite not really knowing *that* much about how to play the game, so I have a few questions:

1) What sort of hands are good starting hands? I know that things like A2xx are good for winning the low pot when there is one, and double suited things for flushes for the high pot, so I imagine something like A234 double suited would be the best hand pre flop?

My problem is if I have a hand like AJ72 rainbow pre flop, the A2 makes me want to play it to win the low pot but barring a miracle, there's almost no chance of winning both pots, so should I still be in the hand?

Equally, hands like AAQJ which can only win the high pot, are they any good?

2) How often is the second nuts actually any good, and should I be re-raising with it?

3) I've heard that PLO8 DYM's are the lowest variance game ever, so if by some miracle I turn out to be a decent PLO8 player, is that DYM streak competition thing still open?

Comments

  • edited December 2011
    a234,,is ok low flop,,,the best starting you want is a2 another low card and high card,dont get drawn in playing 6789 etc these hands will get u in trouble 
  • edited December 2011
    1.
     A234 pf is ok, but obviously useless on any flop with two cards 7 or bigger. Being double suited is great but  often only the suit where you hold the  nut flush draw is of  any value.

    AJ72 rainbow is as you say a long shot, but is worth seeing a flop cheaply. Its amazing how many times you get paid out when you hit the wheel at the level you are playing. If you hold a 6 or 5 rather than a 7, it is a far better gamble.

    AAQJ is a hand that will often get you into trouble, particularly if you are only playing for half the pot postflop. Hitting the aces is sometimes expensive. Obviously if one or both of your aces is suited its far better, but if you hit your flush draw be prepared to fold if the board pairs.

    2.
    Beware of 2nd nuts ! K high flushes regularly lose. Holding A6 on a AAJ6 board is usually a check call for me. Second low nuts needs care too. unless you can firmly put your opponents on high hands.

    Even having 2nd nuts high and low is dangerous, you need to isolate one opponent.

    3.
    Yes. But it is only low variance with good play. And you have to be prepared to face opponents who will bet out on any flop. Think that DYM streak thread is still here somewhere, and I find it easier at PLO8. At holdem my best run is only 15, but I have beaten 20 a couple of times at hilo.

    I would add that at PLO8 as at holdem, my strategy for MTTs is very different to DYMs. Far more aggressive play is needed in tournaments, but in DYMs I have often "won" by only playing one hand, and more than once without playing a hand at all !
  • edited December 2011
      Firstly. think about automucking hands like A2xx because you are only playing to get lucky to win half the pot. The main aim is to scoop, which is to win both hi and lo pots not just one of them.For this reason 45 is so much better than A2 because it is capable of winning both.

       A perfect starting hand would be something like AA45ds.But this is only preflop as we know the game really plays out from the flop onwards and no matter how good your starting hand is it can be destroyed on the flop.

      The main thing about playing down the streets is not to be drawing to just one pot when both are available because you are just putting in chips hoping to get them back with no extras.Also be careful of overplaying hands because in PLO8 one of the key things to do is to keep people in the pot.

     As an example of this say you are playing KK88 in a 4 way pot and the flop comes down 788. If you play this strongly on the flop then you might only get 1 caller at most with a lo draw which could easily end up with a split or losing value. Whereas if you play this weakly you are more liable to get multiple callers chasing half the pot. Then you can control the action to keep it multiway and therefore you will end up winning a lot more when they think they have the lo secured and end up only quartering it. This should only be done with the nut hi because the nut lo is to easily counterfeited or shared.


      Hi only hands can be played but with caution preflop because as soon as the board shows lo the you need to get away from them quickly even with draws because they are liable to only split. The main thing with all hands is to be playing them multiway and resisting the temptation to get it to HU because this is where the splits rule, and if it is cash play in this situation then only the site wins.


       Hope this is of some use and if you have any more question please ask.
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