I decided to play a $2.50 PLO Multi Table tournament on Sunday amidst my other games to try and keep it light. I ended up running pretty deep and finished 4/170ish. One of my favourite topics for discussions is identifying hand ranges. It’s very subjective and changes from opponent to opponent and from player to player.

Here are two very similar hands that took place at two very different stages of the tournament. I thought we could look at these two hands and the process of putting an opponent on a given range and identifying whether or not we should call with a marginal hand.

#Game No : 459108971

***** Cassava Hand History for Game 459108971 *****

$125/$250 Blinds Pot Limit Omaha - *** 24 02 2013 19:13:44

Tournament #45585605 $2.20 + $0.30 - Table #4 (Real Money)

Seat 10 is the button

Total number of players : 7

Seat 3: anetka80 ( $27,289 )

Seat 4: tabascomoo ( $5,045 )

Seat 5: aaronlt ( $2,800 )

Seat 6: weezy53 ( $8,200 )

Seat 7: mollywol ( $3,475 )

Seat 9: vegashero ( $6,178 )

Seat 10: pancho0048 ( $7,172 )

anetka80 posts small blind [$125]

tabascomoo posts big blind [$250]

** Dealing down cards **

In the first hand, I should have open folded. This isn’t a particularly strong hand, nor do I have the chip depth to splash out of position in this spot. However once I make the call, I can’t fold to the raise that follows. The pot has become too large not to stick around for 1 more blind and see the flop.

Dealt to aaronlt [ 6c, 7s, 3h, 3c ]

aaronlt calls [$250]

weezy53 calls [$250]

mollywol folds

vegashero raises [$500]

pancho0048 folds

anetka80 calls [$375]

tabascomoo folds

aaronlt calls [$250]

weezy53 calls [$250]

** Dealing flop ** [ 6s, 6d, 9h ]

The flop hits us very hard. 4 handed we have flopped trips on a rainbow board. We also have a straight draw blocker with our 7s. I’m going to go ahead and lead out at this pot as I can nearly get all my chips in the pot here.

I chose the stop-and-go because at this point, it’s still early in the tournament – I could be shoving with a 9xxx, any kind of straight draw, any overpair and of course a 6xxx. I find when you try to check-raise in this spot and the original raiser checks behind, you don’t get much action on a brick turn. The better option is to build the pot early and often.

anetka80 checks

aaronlt bets [$2,250]

weezy53 folds

vegashero folds

anetka80 calls [$2,250]

We get 1 call and the rest of the hand plays itself as we are essentially all-in.

** Dealing turn ** [ Th ]

anetka80 checks

aaronlt bets [$50]

anetka80 calls [$50]

** Dealing river ** [ 2d ]

** Summary **

anetka80 shows [ 9d, Qd, Qc, Ac ]

aaronlt shows [ 6c, 7s, 3h, 3c ]

aaronlt collected [ $6,850 ]

Our opponent check called with an over pair of Queens and backdoor diamonds. The call is fairly thin. The hand beats 9xxx, 1010xx JJxx and 78xx. Otherwise it trails 6xxx, KKxx, AAxx and flips with wraps. If the opponent takes it to the next level, they can probably eliminate KKxx and AAxx from my range as I limp/called preflop. Basically it comes down to how often I have 6xxx in this spot. Against an average opponent this is probably not a terrible call but is only far ahead if I’m on TT/JJ and rags.

The second hand takes place on the final table, short-handed. There are some similarities to the hand and some obvious differences. The differences are the number of players starting the hand (4) and the preflop action is slightly different.

What I wanted to point out was a similar flop/post-flop action.

#Game No : 459137274

***** Cassava Hand History for Game 459137274 *****

$2,000/$4,000 Blinds Pot Limit Omaha - *** 24 02 2013 21:18:12

Tournament #45585605 $2.20 + $0.30 - Table #10 (Real Money)

Seat 7 is the button

Total number of players : 4

Seat 2: aaronlt ( $68,422 )

Seat 3: HappyGoLuckE ( $31,318 )

Seat 7: mutsu3 ( $137,300 )

Seat 10: Clarkee22 ( $48,960 )

Clarkee22 posts small blind [$2,000]

aaronlt posts big blind [$4,000]

** Dealing down cards **

Dealt to aaronlt [ 5h, Qc, Kh, Jc ]

HappyGoLuckE folds

mutsu3 calls [$4,000]

Clarkee22 calls [$2,000]

aaronlt checks

** Dealing flop ** [ 3h, Qh, 3c ]

Clarkee22 bets [$12,000]

aaronlt raises [$48,000]

mutsu3 folds

Clarkee22 calls [$32,960]

The flop is very similar to the previous one with the exception of the flush draw. However in the previous hand we had a potential straight draw which we don’t have here. So all in all it’s a very similar flop.

The action is also very similar as well. This time Clarkee22 leads out with a pot size bet, which was the same action I lead with in the previous hand.

I’m put to a similar test as our opponent in the first hand. I’m looking at a board with a pair of Queens and a potential three-of-a-kind staring me in the face. I’ve also got the K high flush draw to fall back on in this instance.

Given the stack sizes, I don’t see too much benefit of a flat call. If I want to get the chips in, my opponent will call a raise. If I don’t want to get the chips in I should just fold.

The first thing I need to do is assess my opponent’s range. They could be leading out a pot sized bet with a variety of hands:

3xxx

QQxx
XhXhXX

AAxx
KKxx

Qxxx

These are the usual hand options for this type of action. I immediately eliminate AAxx and KKxx much the same my opponent would have done for me in the previous hand. I also eliminate QQxx as the likelihood of being up against a QQxx here is slim and it my opponent likely wouldn’t be trying to force me out of the pot with QQxx.

This leaves 3xxx, Qxxx, and XhXhXX

I’m in good shape against Qxxx, losing only to AQxx. If I should come up against AQxx, I still have several outs to make a better two-pair than Queens and Threes as well as my flush draw.

I’m in rough shape against 3xxx, however I can still pull a Queen or a heart to move ahead.

XhXhXX is interesting, but with the KhJh in my hand, I’m only really afraid of AhXhXX, and I’m still comfortably ahead at this point.

All in all, I think with the combination of my high hearts and my good queen, I’m comfortable that I’m ahead by a significant amount a majority of the times we get it in here. So I decide to put my opponent all in with just a pair of Queens.

** Dealing turn ** [ Td ]

** Dealing river ** [ 9h ]

** Summary **

aaronlt shows [ 5h, Qc, Kh, Jc ]

Clarkee22 shows [ 4h, Ah, Ks, Jh ]

Clarkee22 collected [ $101,920 ]

So as we can see, our opponent fell into the XhXhXX portion of our allotted range. With 2 hearts on the table and 5 in our collective hands, we only had to fade 6 hearts and 3 aces giving us a fairly significant edge to get it all in here.

Another Omaha hand to talk about another issue that can be translated to all aspects of poker. This one is a quiet problem that can have a massively negative impact on your game. Passive play!

I suffer from passive tendencies myself, which may be hard for some forumites to believe given my reputation in forum games. I often use the forum games as a playground to work out some of the passive/aggressive kinks in my game.

This is a hand from a late night session I just finished. Throughout this hand I highlight the passive decision, and the impact it has later in the hand:

#Game No : 152938555
***** Cassava Hand History for Game 152938555 *****
$0.50/$1 Blinds Pot Limit Omaha - *** 19 05 2011 02:42:49
Table Mendoza (Real Money)
Seat 2 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 1: wowzer88 ( $34.23 )
Seat 2: .ACEMAN. ( $198.53 )
Seat 4: IhaveFrush ( $103.63 )
Seat 6: Dudestr1 ( $100 )
Seat 7: The_Kenyan ( $188.76 )
Seat 9: aaronlt ( $167.61 )
IhaveFrush posts small blind [$0.50]
Dudestr1 posts big blind [$1]
 

** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to aaronlt [ Jc, 5c, Tc, Ks ]
The_Kenyan folds
aaronlt calls [$1]
wowzer88 calls [$1]
.ACEMAN. raises [$5.50]
IhaveFrush folds
Dudestr1 calls [$4.50]
aaronlt calls [$4.50]
wowzer88 folds

The preflop play here is terribly passive. Limping under the gun is rarely a good decision. Especially since I never limp under the gun with my good hands, it makes no sense to do it with a moderate hand. I've polarized my range for my opponents here, making it easier to play against me.

** Dealing flop ** [ 3c, Ts, Kd ]
Dudestr1 checks
aaronlt checks
.ACEMAN. checks

Here I have flopped top two pair on a relatively dry board. In Omaha especially you get into Reverse Implied Odds, where you compare the strength as it is against the chances of your opponents improving (very rough definition).

Since it's a fairly safe board without any flush draws and only one obvious straight draw, we can be confident we're going to have the best hand most of the time here.

I opt to check, HOPING that the original raiser is going to make a continuation bet so I can check-raise. He doesn't, and my opponents get a free turn. I should have taken initiative myself and made a lead bet of about $14, pricing out any draws and building the pot for later streets.

** Dealing turn ** [ 6c ]
Dudestr1 checks
aaronlt bets [$14]
.ACEMAN. folds
Dudestr1 calls [$14]

This is a pretty good turn for us as well. We still have top two pair, and now we have a Jack high flush draw to go with it. There are a few additional straight draws, so we aren't going to waste any more time trying to check-raise. We bet out and get called.

** Dealing river ** [ 8c ]
Dudestr1 bets [$46]

The river fills the flush so we don't have to worry about the straight it completes since our Jack high flush now takes precedent over our two pair. 

Our opponent bets out the pot. He has pot committed himself as well given his stack. Now we have to decide what the chances he has QXXXcc KXXXcc or AXXXcc are, compared to the probability he would make a pot size lead here with a hand that we beat (a smaller flush or the straight).

We have to look back to the turn to see what types of hands he would check/call with. It is very likely he would check/call with AXXXcc flush draw, as well as some QXXXcc and KXXXcc combinations given the texture of the flop.

It's possible that the turn gave him straight draws with a smaller flush draw, but it is much more likely that he would check/call us on the river opting for pot control, rather than betting out into us.

While there is a small part of his range that we beat, I feel given our history and the way this hand was played, the prudent thing would be to fold in this situation.

aaronlt folds
** Summary **
Dudestr1 did not show his hand
Dudestr1 collected [ $43.70 ]

So where did we go wrong?

By "checking to the raiser" on the flop, we not only allowed our opponents to see a free turn card, we allowed them to get 1 step closer to the river while keeping the pot small.

Managing the size of the pot is critical in Omaha. Here we failed to build the pot early. Had we of lead the flop with a pot size bet. We could have lead the turn with another pot sized bet, which would have put Dudestr1 to a decision for his stack on the turn, rather than letting him see the river before making his decision. 

Regardless of what comes on the river, we can be confident that we either get the money in good on the turn, or we fold him out and take down the pot uncontested.

The more aggressive your line, the more pressure you put on your opponents. Pressure on your opponents leads to difficult decisions, and difficult decisions leads to mistakes. After all, that's what poker is all about. Trying to make fewer mistakes than your opponent.

I felt badly about last night's sloppy blog, so I decided to write another installation tonight. This entry is again taken from a Pot Limit Omaha session.

I wanted to highlight the importance of information. The more information you have, the easier your decisions. This is fairly straight forward to understand. What's a bit more complicated is recognizing the information you have, that your opponent does not.

If you are using poker tracking software like PT3 or HEM, than this information is right in front of you. But what if you're not using software, or your opponent is also using software? Where can you find information that your opponent doesn't have?

In your own hands!

#Game No : 322752288
***** Cassava Hand History for Game 322752288 *****
$0.50/$1 Blinds Pot Limit Omaha - *** 17 05 2011 22:30:21
Table Pescara (Real Money)
Seat 7 is the button
Total number of players : 5
Seat 1: Dudestr1 ( $356.01 )
Seat 2: aaronlt ( $100 )
Seat 6: jugger_ ( $15 )
Seat 7: .ACEMAN. ( $129.05 )
Seat 9: takemanies ( $302.73 )

takemanies posts small blind [$0.50]
Dudestr1 posts big blind [$1]

** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to aaronlt [ 2c, Qd, Qc, Jh ]
aaronlt raises [$3]
jugger_ folds
.ACEMAN. folds
takemanies calls [$2.50]
Dudestr1 raises [$11]
aaronlt calls [$9]
takemanies calls [$9]

Here we have a suited QQ and I have been raising regularly to this point. So an open raise is standard given our position and image. We are in position against our two opponents after the reraise, so I decide to flat call the 3 bet.

** Dealing flop ** [ Th, Ah, 8c ]
takemanies checks
Dudestr1 checks
aaronlt checks

The flop doesn't hit us hard, but doesn't miss us entirely. We are double-gutted to a King or a 9, with backdoor club flush draw.

Given that we've been re-raised preflop, I don't want to bet in position here and get check-raised off of my draw by Dudestr1 who could be slowplaying Aces. So I check behind.

** Dealing turn ** [ Js ]
takemanies bets [$18]
Dudestr1 folds

The turn fills some straight draws. Just not our straight draw. The random takemanies leads out, having provided us with no real information to this point. Three different straight draws have been filled:
- KQxx
- Q9xx
- 97xx

KQxx is obviously the nuts here, and takemanies is representing that the Jack has helped him make his hand. It is safe to assume that we don't have the best hand with our pair of Queens. That doesn't mean however that we can't win this hand.

We can use our knowledge of the hand to take this one away from our opponent. He is telling us that the Jack has helped his hand, and it's quite possibly that it has. But we know that in order to have the nuts, our opponent needs to have KQxx.

We have 2 of the 4 queens in our hand. So the probability of our opponent having a Queen is greatly diminished. The probability of him having a King AND a Queen diminished even further.

So while our opponent may have improved on the Jack, and may have even improved to a straight, the probability is he hasn't improved to the nut straight. We know this, and take advantage of it by making a raise.

aaronlt raises [$66]
takemanies folds

Our opponent may have improved with the Jack on the turn. He may have even improved to a straight. But unless he is holding precisely KQxx, he knows he does not have the nuts, and he has no way of knowing that we don't have it either.

Even if he is holding a lesser straight, Q9xx or 97xx, he is drawing dead if we are holding KQxx. So unless he has the nuts, or a huge drawing hand, he has to fold and we pick up this pot with nothing more than middle pair and position.

** Summary **
aaronlt collected [ $68.40 ]

I really like the title of this blog. I think it holds truth in all walks of life. Today I want to talk about the timing of your decisions and how it can give away your hand.

People who are unfamiliar with online poker will ask "how can you play online when you can't see your opponent? I need to see my opponent to know what they have." We have all had this discussion before. Sometimes we smile and nod, sometimes we shake our head and walk away, and other times we try to explain that there are indeed online "tells."

Betting patterns is the biggest tell in online poker. You can hide from yourself, you can hide from others, but over a large enough sample size, you can't hide from your numbers. After enough hands, you can track the stats of every player to give you tips and insights into their game.

Another online tell is timing. We have a time limit for every decision we make. Some tournaments/tables are faster than others, some offer time banks for additional time, but timing exists in every hand on every street. As such, the amount of time an opponent takes to make his decision can often tip his hand to the rest of the table. Here is an example from a 1/2 Omaha session I just finished playing:



#Game No : 152660606
***** Cassava Hand History for Game 152660606 *****
$1/$2 Blinds Pot Limit Omaha - *** 16 05 2011 22:29:26
Table Lusaka (Real Money)
Seat 7 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 1: aaronlt ( $347.33 )
Seat 2: brigade01 ( $368.40 )
Seat 4: cjseafood ( $66.90 )
Seat 6: drdonk_87 ( $227.25 )
Seat 7: davies1471 ( $494.30 )
Seat 9: sickurela ( $812.40 )
sickurela posts small blind [$1]
aaronlt posts big blind [$2]
 

** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to aaronlt [ Ks, Jh, Kd, 2d ]
brigade01 folds
cjseafood calls [$2]
drdonk_87 raises [$9]
davies1471 folds
sickurela calls [$8]
aaronlt calls [$7]
cjseafood calls [$7]

We have a moderate hand here. Kings with a Jack. The 2 is a wash and the hand is unsuited. We are also out of position in big blind. So I just flat call the raise against multiple opponents to hope for a set.

** Dealing flop ** [ 6d, 4c, Kh ]
sickurela checks
aaronlt bets [$28]
cjseafood folds
drdonk_87 folds
sickurela calls [$28]

I decide to lead out the betting, slightly less than the pot. I did this because of my history with drdonk the original raiser. I know he isn't likely to continuation bet in position if he has completely missed the flop against multiple opponents. Since I have top set, the best I can hope for by checking is if he has a wrap 3578 or something. If he has 44xx or 66xx I'll still get action from him with my lead.

The thing to note here is that before sickurela made the call, he thought about the decision for about 10 of his 20 seconds. He is a very aggressive player usually, and if he picked up some kind of wrap draw, or a set, I'd fully expect a check/raise or a lead himself. Because he didn't I don't expect him to have a huge drawing hand. Maybe something like 2 pair.

** Dealing turn ** [ 2c ]
sickurela checks
aaronlt checks

The 2 here fills the 35xx straight draw. I'm not terribly scared of the straight here. I think sick would have bet it if he hit it here. The pot is big enough to make a $90 bet. He checks.

If I bet here, what can he call with? He can call with a set, which he doesn't have or else he'd have played it more aggresively on the flop. He may still call with 2 pair, but if he felt his 2 pair were good on the flop, he himself may be scared of the straight on the turn.

Because of these reasons, I check the turn to try and get some bluff value out of him on the river, since I felt like any bet on the turn would just fold him out of the hand.

(Important to note - with this line, you need to call any river bet).

** Dealing river ** [ 7s ]
sickurela bets [$76]
aaronlt calls [$76]
 

The river fills the other side of the straight. However the only open-ended draw it fills is the 53xx again. This is the same hand that would have been made on the turn, and I already discounted this hand on the turn. So the only other option is 58xx.

He could have made a 58xx gutshot, but to make that call no the flop he would have almost needed 58 + two pair/set to make that call.

So I discount the liklihood of a straight, and decide he was either on 2 pair, some sort of strange backdoor draw that didn't get there, or a complete bluff.

As mentioned earlier, with the turn check we have to call anyways so it's all academic up to this point.

We make the call and ...

** Summary **
sickurela shows [ 9c, 8c, 7d, 6h ]
aaronlt shows [ Ks, Jh, Kd, 2d ]
aaronlt collected [ $240 ]

Sick called the flop with a pair, a gutshot, and some backdoor straight draws. We enduce a bet of an extra $76 with our turn chcek and take down a decent pot.

This hand was made much easier to read by his hesitation on the flop.

If Sickurela had of snap-called on the flop, it would have been very easy to assume 53xx was well within his range. Making our turn and river decisions much more difficult than they had to be.

Of course, you have to be careful of reverse tells. Online poker, as with live poker is at the mercy of the unpredictable human element. A delayed decision may mean one thing one hand, and something completely different the next. It's up to you to decide which.

I want to talk about a hand that came out of last night's 1/2 NLHE session. The hand may seem like it plays itself, but I would like to touch upon the thought process that goes into each street and each decision.

I've talked before about making sure the decisions you make at the table tell a fluid story, and I think this hand is a good example of how telling a story that doesn't make sense, can cost you money.

#Game No : 174921121
***** Cassava Hand History for Game 174921121 *****
$1/$2 Blinds No Limit Holdem - *** 27 02 2011 01:04:03
Table Belgorod (Real Money)

Seat 9 is the buttonTotal number of players : 7
Seat 1: Neval250 ( $120.35 )
Seat 2: umka1 ( $436.81 )
Seat 3: tilleross ( $202.70 )
Seat 5: RlntlssRake ( $344.15 )
Seat 7: .PSILOCIN. ( $200 )
Seat 9: Digs_Nuts ( $254.20 )
Seat 10: aaronlt ( $371 )
aaronlt posts small blind [$1]
Neval250 posts big blind [$2]

** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to aaronlt [ As, 9c ]
umka1 folds
tilleross folds
RlntlssRake folds
.PSILOCIN. folds
Digs_Nuts calls [$2]
aaronlt calls [$1]
Neval250 checks

I just flat call out of small blind with the A9o. We could raise here, given that nobody has shown any aggression. However I like playing hidden aces out of the blinds, as opponents tend to believe that players who limp in the blinds can't have an ace.

** Dealing flop ** [ 7d, 3h, Ad ]
aaronlt bets [$2]
Neval250 folds
Digs_Nuts raises [$8]
aaronlt calls [$6]

I lead the betting here. The minimum bet is debatable. It's actually something I very rarely do. In this case, I didn't expect any action from the big blind as he has been incredibly passive when involved in unraised pots.

A small lead gives the impression of hitting a bottom or middle pair, and hoping to try and take the pot down quickly. My opponent picked up on that, and made a raise. I of course have no intention of giving away a decent pair of aces this easily. I call.

** Dealing turn ** [ 7c ]
aaronlt checks
Digs_Nuts bets [$10]
aaronlt calls [$10]

This isn't a horrible turn card. It should be one that our opponent is scared of, considering our small lead and call on the flop. Because he bets again, in the face of this potential scare card, he is telling us he has a very strong hand. However he hasn't bet strongly, and I'm going to look him up for $10.

** Dealing river ** [ 3s ]
aaronlt checks
Digs_Nuts bets [$16]
aaronlt calls [$16]

This is where it gets interesting. The river pairs the board yet again, and again our opponent bets. He is saying that he is not afraid of us having a 3 or a 7. There are 3 reasons for him to say this:

1) He has a full house and isn't afraid of one himself.

2) He thinks we have an ace and believes his is stronger.

3) He is bluffing.


We can all but eliminate 1, because his flop raise doesn't make sense for a full house (unless he has exactly A7).

We can eliminate 2 because if he has a stronger ace, and is aggressive enough to bet it on 3 streets, that means he has AT, AJ, AQ, or AK. If he's aggressive enough to bet it on 3 streets, he's aggressive enough to raise one of these 4 hands preflop from the button. He didn't, so we can elimiante these.

That just leaves #3. He's bluffing.

We make the call and ...

** Summary **
Digs_Nuts shows [ Th, 6h ]
aaronlt shows [ As, 9c ]
aaronlt collected [ $70.30 ]

Make sure you take the time on each street to connect the dots of your opponents decisions. They always add up to a story, and it's up to you to find out which story he is telling.