Omaha High/Low:

THERE, BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, GO I

BY: Russ Fox

"If I had to live my life again, I’d make the same mistakes, only sooner." - Tallulah Bankhead

Last week, like almost all of us, I went to the supermarket. However, most of you put your frozen foods in the freezer. I left them in the trunk of my car. Oops….

It’s one thing when we make a brilliant maneuver; it’s quite another when we commit a stupid mistake. My fifth grade teacher told our class, "A mistake is only a mistake if you repeat it." While I (in general) agree with this, mistakes in poker cost us money.

In this column we will examine the author and how he generously donated to his opponents. While I consider myself a reasonably good player, I am not immune from lapses in consciousness. Like just two nights ago, when I violated one of my major rules: Rule #17: When the Cubs are playing in the playoffs, stay home and watch the game.

The Cubs beat Florida in extra innings, 5-4 on a pinch-hit triple. For myself (and all the other Cubs fans out there) this was great - except that I had spent $120 to play in an Omaha tournament that was happening while the Cubs edged the Marlins. Take this hand, where you’re dealt AA74 (the 74 is suited). It’s early in the tournament, and you (as does almost everyone at your table) have an average stack. You’re first to act. Do you: (a) check; (b) raise; or (c) call?

This is a tournament - not a ring game. I do not want a lot of callers, so a raise is the clear choice. Of course I called (as did five others).

The flop is: JJ7 rainbow. The small blind, who you recognize as one of the tightest tournament players you know, bets. You have two pairs, Aces and Jacks. Do you (a) Raise; (b) Call; or (c) Fold?

At a minimum, I was up against three Jacks. I had two outs (the aces). Everything is screaming, "FOLD!" I called. I did manage to fold on the turn, though….

Or we can examine the author’s brilliant play on this hand. I was dealt A239. It was a moderately tight game ($6/$12 with a full kill). I was on the button, and when four players called, I found the raise. Five of us saw the flop of K8Q. The big blind bets. Two players call (one folds), and it’s your decision. Do you (a) Raise to $12; (b) Call $6; or (c) Fold?

If you were to change the flop slightly, say making the K the K (so that you would have the backdoor flush draw to go with your backdoor low draw), call here would probably be fine. However, this is now a one-way hand: your chances of winning high are essentially nil while to win low you must get runner-runner. A fold is clear. I did manage to fold on the turn (when the board paired).

Here’s another gem. You’re in the big blind, and the betting is capped before you even look at your hand (it’s a very good game). Six players are in the hand when you stare down at A39J rainbow. Do you (a) Call the additional $18; or (b) Fold?

This is a trap hand. You know there is at least one A2 out (probably more). You have an easily counterfeited low draw and it’s not even the nut low draw! A fold is undoubtedly the best thing to do with this hand - your best chance for high is KQT with no flush coming. Given today’s theme you know what I did…yes, I called. It was easy to get out on the flop (356 rainbow), though.

The last hand for this month is a rotten hand (and I knew it was rotten at the time): 8877 rainbow. I was in the big blind, though, and saw the flop for free (along with five others). I actually flopped the nuts: 69T with two spades fell on the board. I was first to act. Should I have (a) Bet $6; (b) Checked, with the intention of calling any bet(s); (c) Checked, with the intention of calling one bet and folding otherwise; or (d) Checked, with the intention of folding to any bet(s)?

When a two-flush hits the board, the flush will be made 35% of the time. If the board pairs, I would probably be dead. If a 7, 8, or J came, I’d probably be dead. I think a case can be made for any of the actions (I bet). But that was not my last action on the flop: the betting came back to me with the pot capped! I had a choice of (a) calling the additional $18 or (b) folding. What should I have done?

All sorts of draws must have been out there. And I wouldn’t have been surprised to see another 78! I actually managed to do the right thing and folded (yes, there was another 78, two sets, and a straight flush draw and the nut flush draw out against me). As you might ask, the board paired on the turn, and one full house beat another. At least I got one hand right.

The lesson in all this is that we have bad days. Some of this is luck: in Omaha, there are days when you will lose. All your draws go down the drain and you have few premium hands. I can accept that: luck evens out in the long run. But I have a hard time accepting my playing stupidly. One thing that I rarely do is play when I have other distractions (like not feeling well, etc.). Winning at poker is difficult enough without you throwing your own monkey wrenches into the process.

Next month we’ll return to Leavenworth and look at another hand from the archives. Until then, go Cubs!

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