PLO

I've played a fair amount of Pot Limit Omaha over the last few days. Overall, it has been an up and down affair- sometimes I play well, sometimes I play poorly, but either way I'm still running pretty badly (although some of that is definitely my fault). I played in a 100-person NL Hold'em tourney on UltimateBet this morning and finished 25th, five places out of the money. I nearly doubled my stack in the first two levels, but then lost a coinflip with AQ when I raised in MP and he pushed from the cutoff with 55. The board came 9-high. I got it all-in later with AQ again, on a flop of A-7-3. I had raised pre-flop in EP and attracted two callers, one from the button and one from the small blind. The small blind bet out weakly at the flop, kind of like a "Is my A5 good?" bet, I moved all-in, and he called. He showed A3 and I needed help. The turn came a K, giving me 8 outs on the river, and I spiked a Q to double up. My stack went up and down, and soon we were nearing the money, and with as low as 1700, I started playing push-or-fold poker. I pushed several times over the next few rotations and built my stack back to 3200. Then I ran into a very odd situation that cost me from cashing. With the blinds at 200/400, a loose player limped in MP, the SB completed, and I checked with A4 in the BB. If I had less chips, I might have pushed there, but I still had a manageable stack, and A-rag isn't going to produce the kind of all-in advantage I'm looking for. Anyway, the flop came A-K-T and we all checked it. The turn was a blank, and the SB bet the pot, 1200. This looks like a steal to me, and I call. Surprisingly, so does the guy in MP. The river is a 9, and after some thought, the SB bets 2000. I don't know where I'm at anymore, but the pot is so large I almost have to call. I did, and MP folded. The SB turned over...A9. That hand was not even close to what I expected him to have. T9 seemed likely, as did QJ-sort-of-hands, and I probably wouldn't have batted an eye at K9 either. Either way, my A was no good and I was left with like 600 chips. I folded my SB and found 88 two hands later. I pushed and it folded around to the BB, who was forced to call with 8c9c. He spiked his three-outer on the flop, and I didn't catch the case eight, end of story.

Here are some fun Omaha hands for ya:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1412577
I almost came in my pants when this flop fell. In Omaha (especially against LAGish players), it is hardly ever correct to slow play a big hand. This, however, would be one of those times.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1412551
Even if he has aces, the hand he is representing here, I am still only in a 60/40 situation, despite holding an ace. Isn't Omaha funny?

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1412546
Here comes the bad run, I can feel it. I fucking KNEW he had JT, and I still couldn't fold my full house.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1412543
Yep, should've moved in on the turn here. Cost me the rest of my stack.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1412536
Two outers are awesome...

http://www.pokerhand.org/?1412531
I'll take those chips if you don't mind.

The same guy who two outered me with his TT did the same with 99 against my Ac-Qc-As-Td five hands later. What a horrible way to end what was going to be a good session. I would show you the hand, but I clicked out of the table so fast that the program that saves my hand history didn't get a chance to save it.