I was playing $5/$5 PLO at the Edgewater Casino in B.C. a few days ago and this hand came up.

Me: $750 (bb)
Villain: $1,200

Hand: Ac 8c 5h 3s

Straddle UTG to $10, five limpers, I limp, straddler checks option.

Flop: Js 6c 4c

Everyone checks to last limper on button who bets pot of $70. I immediately re-pot to $280. Everyone folds to villain who cold calls it.

Turn: Ah

I...

bet/call imo

you have top pair, nut flush draw, and oesd. gogogo

You're 33% against JJ, 55% against J6xx, and 80% over a low wrap draw like 578x or whatever. Gamboool.

--edit, I guess with the pot size you can just shove since there's like ~600+ in there and you only have ~450 left....makes it a much easier decision now that I look at the numbers.

Yeah, easy shove. The best way of analysing a hand like this is to simplify by look at it from the perspective of the various types of hands in his range:

AJ/JJ/66/44 - Doesn't matter what you do. If you check, he's shoving and you're calling. If you shove, he's calling.

J6/J4/64 - Shoving is better. He might fold given that the ace is scary, whereas if you check he will usually shove. By moving in you give him a chance to fold a better hand.

Any kind of draw - You crush most draws, so you really want the money to go in. If you check, you give him the chance to check behind with some of his draws and either hit for free, or brick the river and not put any more money in. By shoving you make him pay to outdraw you.


So, shoving is clearly better against a drawing hand and against a medium strength made hand, and there's no difference between checking and shoving against a strong made hand.

Is the flop c/r better because we're pretty deep? My first thought was to lead.

I think lead is better especially since we are in a steal spot. I bet hoping to get raised so then we should be able to get the rest in. CRing and getting just called by the button puts u in a awkward spot OOP on the turn. As played keep going on the turn.

I think no matter what card comes on the turn we should be putting our stack in.