PLO exercise, pt. 1

Maximizing value and reading hand ranges is the subject of this exercise. I pulled a couple of hand histories from last night's BBT4 event, the Skills Game, which provided a nice structure for some relatively deep-stacked PLO.

Unlike some players, I don't like to always bet "full pot". I like to vary my bet sizes, but with a range of holdings so I can't be exploited by observant opponents.

Hand #1 - Nut-Peddling with Half-Pot Bet Sizes

Seat 1: kickyourace (4,082)
Seat 2: twoblackaces (2,646)
Seat 3: Tony Eusebio (2,835)
Seat 4: iaatg6296 (3,165)
Seat 5: InstantTragedy (2,795)
Seat 6: dueyv9 (2,850)
Seat 7: lightning36 (3,263)
Seat 8: PirateLawyer (2,745)
Seat 9: lucko21 (2,265)
Tony Eusebio posts the small blind of 20
iaatg6296 posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [8h 8s Kd Js]
InstantTragedy folds
dueyv9 folds
lightning36 folds
PirateLawyer calls 40 - this is worth a limp since stacks are so deep, but I could just as easily have folded this preflop since this is a trash hand unless I flop big
lucko21 folds
kickyourace folds
Tony Eusebio folds
iaatg6296 checks
*** FLOP *** [8d 3s Jc]
iaatg6296 bets 80
PirateLawyer raises to 210 - this is the miracle flop for my hand; since I am holding a jack, I can discount my opponent holding top set. it's time to take villain to valuetown, population one
iaatg6296 calls 130
*** TURN *** [8d 3s Jc] [4d]
iaatg6296 checks
PirateLawyer bets 520 - look how I am able to extract more chips with the flop raise juicing the pot
iaatg6296 calls 520
*** RIVER *** [8d 3s Jc 4d] [2h]
iaatg6296 checks
PirateLawyer bets 780 - no draws get there except for backdoor straights which I can discount
iaatg6296 calls 780
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PirateLawyer shows [8h 8s Kd Js] three of a kind, Eights
iaatg6296 mucks
PirateLawyer wins the pot (3,120) with three of a kind, Eights
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3,120 | Rake 0
Board: [8d 3s Jc 4d 2h]
Seat 1: kickyourace (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: twoblackaces is sitting out
Seat 3: Tony Eusebio (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 4: iaatg6296 (big blind) mucked [Ac 8c Jh Th] - two pair, Jacks and Eights
Seat 5: InstantTragedy didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: dueyv9 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: lightning36 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: PirateLawyer showed [8h 8s Kd Js] and won (3,120) with three of a kind, Eights
Seat 9: lucko21 didn't bet (folded)

And I get max value from top two pair. Really no excuse for villain to call all three streets, but that is the benefit of playing a strong hand in position in PLO when you know where you are at.

Hand #2 - The Rare Slowplay for Value

Seat 1: kickyourace (4,372)
Seat 2: twoblackaces (4,361)
Seat 3: Tony Eusebio (2,350)
Seat 4: iaatg6296 (2,910)
Seat 5: InstantTragedy (1,105)
Seat 6: dueyv9 (3,890)
Seat 7: ElSnarfGrande (2,625)
Seat 8: PirateLawyer (4,495)
ElSnarfGrande posts the small blind of 25
PirateLawyer posts the big blind of 50
The button is in seat #6
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [5s 6s 6d 5d] - I already have a good feeling about this hand
kickyourace calls 50
twoblackaces folds
Tony Eusebio folds
iaatg6296 calls 50
InstantTragedy calls 50
dueyv9 folds
ElSnarfGrande calls 25
PirateLawyer checks
*** FLOP *** [6c 6h Jc] - your standard flopped quads
ElSnarfGrande checks
PirateLawyer checks - Leading out here shows too much strength; I hope someone improves on the turn
kickyourace checks
iaatg6296 checks
InstantTragedy checks
*** TURN *** [6c 6h Jc] [9d]
ElSnarfGrande checks
PirateLawyer checks
kickyourace checks
iaatg6296 checks
InstantTragedy bets 55
ElSnarfGrande folds
PirateLawyer calls 55
kickyourace calls 55
iaatg6296 calls 55 - wow, I did not expect two more overcalls! I can either lead out on the river if a scare card comes, or plan a check-raise
*** RIVER *** [6c 6h Jc 9d] [9c]
PirateLawyer bets 235 - I opt for a half-pot bet
kickyourace calls 235
iaatg6296 folds
InstantTragedy folds
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PirateLawyer shows [5s 6s 6d 5d] four of a kind, Sixes
kickyourace mucks
PirateLawyer wins the pot (940) with four of a kind, Sixes
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 940 | Rake 0
Board: [6c 6h Jc 9d 9c]
Seat 1: kickyourace mucked [2h Tc 7d Ac] - a flush, Ace high
Seat 8: PirateLawyer (big blind) showed [5s 6s 6d 5d] and won (940) with four of a kind, Sixes

And we see that our opponent had the nut flush and bet on the turn with it along with an inside straight draw. It's hard to say if he would have called a full pot-sized bet or if I could have extracted more value with a check-raise. I like the weak lead here in hopes of getting him to overplay the nut flush with a river raise, but he didn't bite.

Hand #3 - Estimating Hand Ranges

Seat 1: NYRambler (2,695)
Seat 2: muhctim (3,140)
Seat 3: Bone_Daddy84 (4,075)
Seat 4: microvillain (3,145)
Seat 6: jeciimd (10,277)
Seat 7: Rake Feeder (1,135)
Seat 8: methos26 (12,883)
Seat 9: PirateLawyer (5,925)
PirateLawyer posts the small blind of 30
NYRambler posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to PirateLawyer [4c 8d Qd Tc]
muhctim folds
Bone_Daddy84 folds
microvillain folds
jeciimd calls 60
Rake Feeder calls 60
methos26 calls 60
PirateLawyer calls 30
NYRambler checks
*** FLOP *** [Td 4d Jh]
PirateLawyer checks - if I lead out here I am telegraphing too much hand strength
NYRambler checks
jeciimd bets 200
Rake Feeder folds
methos26 calls 200
PirateLawyer calls 200 - easy call, I don't want to blow people off their hands with a check-raise, I am looking to maximize value on later streets
NYRambler folds
*** TURN *** [Td 4d Jh] [9d]
PirateLawyer checks - gin, obviously;
jeciimd checks
methos26 bets 540
PirateLawyer raises to 1,440 - it's time to spring the trap, I put the raise in now because I have to hope he has a high flush he will go to war with. If he only has a straight or low set, I probably can't get another street of value
jeciimd folds
methos26 folds
Uncalled bet of 900 returned to PirateLawyer
PirateLawyer mucks
PirateLawyer wins the pot (1,980)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,980 | Rake 0
Board: [Td 4d Jh 9d]
Seat 1: NYRambler (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: muhctim didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: Bone_Daddy84 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: microvillain didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: jeciimd folded on the Turn
Seat 7: Rake Feeder folded on the Flop
Seat 8: methos26 (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 9: PirateLawyer (small blind) collected (1,980), mucked

The turn check-raise is optional. I am nut-peddling and could afford to wait until the river and either bet our or check-raise, but I try to build the pot and hope villain has a genuinely strong hand he's willing to play for stacks.