Shorties

I wasn't going to play any poker today. Wasn't in the mood, really, which is a good thing to recognize. I had busted out some heavy chores, was chilling with a good read I got for my b-day, and then moved on to the latest "Barron's" to see what the pundits thought of the state of the economy. Since it appears that I've missed out on the bull run that began in March, I decided that if I couldn't splash around in the market, at least I could do so with my small roll.

So, having adequately rationalized a game, yet wanting to limit my risk, I looked up a couple deuce PLO games.

Quad eights and sixes came in handy, although I didn't make a whole lot putting the shorties all-in on the river each time. They're limiting their risk even more, so I wasn't surprised when this hand played out the way it did.

PokerStars Pot-Limit Omaha, $0.02 BB (8 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($4.56)
UTG+1 ($1.91)
MP1 ($1.62)
MP2 ($2.53)
CO ($3.45)
Button ($1.81)
SB ($5.93)
Hero (BB) ($5.87)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 4, J, 9, Q

UTG calls $0.02, UTG+1 calls $0.02, MP1 calls $0.02, MP2 calls $0.02, 2 folds, SB calls $0.01, Hero checks

Flop: ($0.12) 10, 5, A (6 players)

SB checks, Hero checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 bets $0.06, MP2 calls $0.06, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.06, 2 folds

Turn: ($0.30) K (3 players)

Hero bets $0.30, MP1 calls $0.30, 1 fold

River: ($0.90) 10 (2 players)

Hero bets $0.42, MP1 raises to $0.84, Hero folds

Total pot: $1.74 | Rake: $0.05

Not much I can do there. A split is probably the best outcome, but this being Omaha, I don't think so. I'll wait for a better spot.

PokerStars Pot-Limit Omaha, $0.02 BB (8 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

BB ($4.54)
UTG ($1.89)
UTG+1 ($2.51)
MP1 ($2.45)
MP2 ($3.45)
CO ($1.81)
Button ($5.91)
Hero (SB) ($5.07)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A, 10, 9, 6

UTG calls $0.02, 3 folds, CO calls $0.02, Button bets $0.08, Hero calls $0.07, 1 fold, UTG calls $0.06, 1 fold

Flop: ($0.28) Q, 2, J (3 players)

Hero checks, UTG checks, Button checks

Turn: ($0.28) K (3 players)

Hero bets $0.28, UTG raises to $1.12, 1 fold, Hero raises to $3.64, UTG calls $0.69 (All-In)

River: ($3.90) 7 (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $3.90 | Rake: $0.15

Another shortie bites the dust.

Now, of course the prudent player will want to know why I was in either of these hands. The first one is easy from my perspective. I had the odds to see a flop. I would make a determination upon the flop and action. Of course I'm calling the half-pot bet.

I called the Button raise in the second hand only because I had been watching the Button carefully for the time I had been in the game. He had been in a lot of hands. And even if he had pocket Aces, I often will play a suited Ace in those situations knowing I have one of his primary outs, and this type of situation has worked well for me in the past. I also figured UTG would come in as well, for he had also been playing a lot of hands and his stack had been fluctuating quite a bit. He wasn't a maniac. He was playing like a newbie. Out of position, the flop would make my next decision easy. The free card made it even easier.

I knew exactly what to do on the turn, and when we got it all-in, I expected to split; and figuring my opponent had a better flush draw, I prayed for no club. I certainly didn't expect a set of queens.

So, I ask myself what I would have done had he pushed on the flop.  Does he get fold equity because of his stack size (meaning that it's just not worth it)? Would the Button have called?  The answer is probably not to either question. Still, the push when clearly beaten with only one card to come is still a bad move. He should have been watching Mr. Tens Full.