Plo Tournament

[timwakefield 68]

Maybe this should be in the Omaha section, but it's an mtt so I'm putting it here. Pokerstars $10+1 PLO single-rebuy + add-on. 15 players left, average stack about 60K. Blinds 2K/4K.I have 40K, folded to me on the button. I raise the max to 14K with QQ85, 3 clubs. SB folds, BB calls (with a stack of about 60K). Flop comes A55. BB bets 20K. I raise 5K and am all-in. Thoughts? Basically my question is about the preflop action...raise less? Limp? Or standard?

[gobears 0]

I would limp there as QQ85 is not a good starting hand - you have position and can see a flop cheaply.I'd be more apt to raise with four connected cards like 78910 or four broadway cards - some of the better starting hands.You really don't want to get repotted and pot bets from the button after it's folded to the button always seem like a steal attempt.

[iggymcfly 0]

I'm far from a PLO tourney expert, but this looks absolutely fine/standard to me. You're ahead of an average hand, and you're probably going to get a lot of folds from hands that should be playing with you. I think first in on the button like this, a pot-sized bet to take it down sounds good.

[timwakefield 68]

Thanks for the responses. Now a follow-up - obv villain destroyed me with AAxx. Do you think he played it well? I don't mind him not reraising preflop (although I almost certainly would in that spot), but I think his flop bet is a big mistake. Thoughts?

[tskillz187 0]

His flop bet sucks. I don't really like him just calling either, that's a large portion of his stack, he should be repotting preflop.

[Rocketwadster 0]

His flop bet makes perfect sense to me. I like it, I do it, it works wonders.

[tskillz187 0]

His flop bet makes perfect sense to me. I like it, I do it, it works wonders.

No.Tim is already so close to being committed to this pot that he will almost always throw out a continuation bet to try and take the pot down on the flop. Then he is full out committed. The flop bet gives Tim his only chance of getting away from the hand, but gains nothing. He has a lock on the hand, no need to bet here, it's much much different heads up than if this were a full ring, then the lead out on the flop would be fine.

[Rocketwadster 0]

Look at the crap hand our hero called (well, pushed) with after his flop bet. THAT is exactly why I think the lead out bet with the (near) nuts is fantastic there, as there will be a ton of hands that raised pre-flop that will call the bet. Our opponent can see that we are well below average with our stack after the pre-flop raise, so he (rightly) figures we are probably pot committed regardless of our holdings here.

[timwakefield 68]

Look at the crap hand our hero called (well, pushed) with after his flop bet.

You must be kidding. I had trip 5s, which I quite well figured were good. If I had for example KKJ9 I fold without a second thought, and villain gets no value from his nut-boat.

[Rocketwadster 0]

You must be kidding. I had trip 5s, which I quite well figured were good. If I had for example KKJ9 I fold without a second thought, and villain gets no value from his nut-boat.

I forgot to put the sw there on your trips, but the comments still stands. You didn't raise pre-flop on the strength of your 5, it was your other holdings. I'm not convinced you should fold if bet into with that example you just gave. Depends on the opponents I guess, but there will be people leading into the pre-flop raiser with far lesser holdings on flops like that, either as a bluff if they have nothing (hoping you fold), or having a monster (hoping you caught a piece or are stubborn with your short stack and feel pot committed).

[timwakefield 68]

I forgot to put the sw there on your trips, but the comments still stands. You didn't raise pre-flop on the strength of your 5, it was your other holdings. I'm not convinced you should fold if bet into with that example you just gave. Depends on the opponents I guess, but there will be people leading into the pre-flop raiser with far lesser holdings on flops like that, either as a bluff if they have nothing (hoping you fold), or having a monster (hoping you caught a piece or are stubborn with your short stack and feel pot committed).

I don't think I'd put my tourney life on the line there with KKxx on A55 flop. If villain leads out big on that flop he usually has KK destroyed.

[Rocketwadster 0]

I don't think I'd put my tourney life on the line there with KKxx on A55 flop. If villain leads out big on that flop he usually has KK destroyed.

Your right, I forgot about the ace there (was focusing in on the fives). Bad example with the ace there, but change the ace to ANY other card in the deck, and I don't think its an auto-fold...

[timwakefield 68]

Your right, I forgot about the ace there (was focusing in on the fives). Bad example with the ace there, but change the ace to ANY other card in the deck, and I don't think its an auto-fold...

Agreed. It's definitely a good spot for villain to steal a nice pot if he is so inclined.