September 20, 2005
If there's a highly aggressive Pokerparty player in pot-limit Omaha (there are often a lot of highly aggressive players in pot-limit Omaha; don't get too excited about games like this), I would like to be about three seats to his left here also. However, since your blinds will most likely be attacked on every occasion, you'll still have to fold a lot of the time because of limpers wanting to reraise the raiser. Don't get trapped with hands you shouldn't have played in the first place!
When the flop shows Q72 rainbow and your Pokerparty opponent comes out firing, folding here would be a huge mistake when the money is deep (and especially when in position), even though all you have is middle pair. Another situation in pot-limit Omaha where you might want to continue with you hand after the flop (or even become aggressive with it) is when you have a hand that might be second best in two or three ways (that is, you have no nut outs).
This is why otherwise good potlimit Pokerparty players often have a tendency to go on tilt (especially the aggressive tournament stars, who have become accustomed to successes there, they expect good results in cash games also; however things are not always that easy). These players may decide to start raising preflop just about every hand and then bet the flop regardless in an attempt to get even. In potlimit Omaha, playing like this can cost a lot of money, however when these players get lucky they may very well book a big win.
Pokerparty Tells
- I explained the situation to the poker party floorman, including also that this dealer is sloppy, often bad-tempered, disliked by a lot of Pokerparty players (in fact two of them didn't tip him at all because of his behavior) and that in the last, supposedly huge pot, he even threw my own bet into the pot to make the pot look bigger (an old dealer trick). So how huge could the pot have been?
- Since any good player will bet the pot on the river (whether he has made his Pokerparty hand or not), because he knows what you have, but you don't know his hand. If you can check-raise all-in on the turn (having the nuts, taking away your opponent's implied odds) you might still lose the hand if you get called, but at least you've gotten your money in as the favorite.
- Beware of reraising with KJ or KQ; a lot of aggressive players have a tendency to raise with a "bad ace" which will of course be good in a showdown. On the other Pokerparty hand, the small connecting cards or suited cards I would defend with in a multiway pot will still have to be folded in situations like this, even if you suspect the raiser to be stealing. Make sure you're well armed before going to war!
- A favorite quote by action players in limit poker, whenever they win a pot uncontested, is: "Rocks play their cards. I play the players." In potlimit, you've got to play the cards and the Pokerparty players. Can your opponents stand the heat? Can they fold a good draw? Do they call with two pair? When you check, will they bluff? It may be correct to play exactly the same hand in a totally different way depending on whom you are up against.
This way, the top players figure to make a lot of money. Because of its pot limit structure, a large percentage of pots are won without a showdown. In this game, it is impossible (that is, it is very unwise) to chase all the way to the river or to call someone down with a weak hand. What becomes important when deciding whether or not to play your hand, is who you are up against: do you think your opponent has the goods or not? This is how table image comes into play.
