Tony, holding 8-7-6-6, decided to raise from the small blind. His pre-flop raise was called by Ram, who was on the button, and two other players. The dealer flopped off-suited Q-6-3. Tony bet the pot and Ram flat called. Now alarm bells started ringing in Tony’s head. What could Ram be calling the flop bet with, in a raised pot, when the first three cards are so far apart? Tony decided that his opponent was slow playing top trips and he subsequently
P OT - L IMIT O MAHA
checked when the dealer turned another rag. Ram also checked. The river card was the case 6. Tony checked again, Ram bet the pot, Tony raised and Ram went all-in. Ram proudly showed the two Queens in his hand and his face dropped when Tony produced the case two Sixes! Ram was extremely unklucky, however, he should not have given a good player like Tony two free cards. Ram should have raised the flop bet and attacked the pot on the turn against any player. A bad player holding 3-3-x-x or Q-6-x-x would definitely send Ram laughing all the way to his bank.
I do not believe in giving free cards in pot-limit structured games, unless I have my opponents locked in a bone crusher or it is mathematically correct to do so. Thus, if the flop consisted of two suited and connected cards, I would bet my top trips, from early position, if there were less than three times my bet in my chip-tray and check if I had more. In late position, I would bet if the pot were checked to me and flat call or raise any bet depending on the size of my chipstack as well as that of the bettor. For example, if the flop was J♦-T♣-5♣ and I had J♥-J♦-X-X, I would raise if I, or the bettor, had less than a full pot bet left. However, if our chip-trays were racked-up with chips, a flat call would be my most probable response to a bet from one of my opponents. Under these circumstances, the mathematical expectations of a flat call are better than those of a raise because:
(1) although I had the best hand on the flop, many cards left in the deck could make my trips worthless on the turn. A flat call would save me at least three flop bets if the bettor completed his draw on the turn.
(2) if the turn card were a blank, I would bet when everybody checked or raise when given the opportunity to do so. Now I would be forcing my opponents to gamble when their draws are at the weakest stage of the contest with only one card to come.
(3) if the turn card paired the board, the bettor may feel obliged to launch a bluff against me. Thus my flat call may entice my opponents into throwing their money in my direction.
102 T HE S CIENCE OF P OKER
If your starting cards were J♥-X♣-X♣ and the dealer flopped J♦-T♣-5♣, you should be more inclined to escalate the action from any position because your X♣-X♣ are defenders against the flush draw; they may even win the money in short-handed pots especially if one of them was, say, Q-high. Naturally you would come out shooting if your starting cards were J♥-J♦-K♣-Q♣ or A♣-J♥-J♦-X♣
I do not like gambling with flopped bottom trips, especially in raised pots.
Next, let us consider your fortunes on the several occasions you flop split trips. Let us assume that you were the button and called a pre-flop raise with A♦-J♣-J♥-3♦. The dealer flopped T♥-3♠-3♣ and the player at the big blind bet the pot. Alarm bells should start ringing in your head. What do you think the big blind called the pre-flop raise with? He could have gambled with either:
(1) 3-4-5-6, A-3-4-5, 3-5-6-7,etc, in which case the two Jacks in your hand are a liability; your opponent could fill his house with nine outs whereas only five are working for you. What is more, you may share the pot if the turn card is an Ace.
(2) or, more likely, T-T-X-X, in which case you need to capture one of three miracle cards.
Thus, when you flop split trips, the presence of a pair amongst your starting cards can put you at a great disadvantage. Do not forget that if your bet in the above example were called by a third player, you would most likely be looking at full house of Tens. Since we are discussing paired flops, you should know that if you do not have one of the remaining two cards of that rank in your hand, the probability that they may be in the possession of another player is 15%. Thus the odds against an opponent having trips are about 11:2 against in a 2-handed pot, 7:3 against in a 3-handed contest, 6:4 against in a 4-3-handed pot and in a five-3-handed pot it is odds on that one of your rivals cannot wait to attack the pot.
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2.3.4 Pairs and two pairs
I have already discussed the play pairs and two pairs extensively in Chapter Five. Although the chapter was dedicated to limit games, your gambles with pairs and two pairs, split or otherwise, after the flop must be influenced by the same criteria. Your pairs must be supported by straight or preferably flush draws and you would rather bet with top two pairs. In short-handed pots or games, pairs and two pairs may win the pot at the showdown. You should be able to reduce the number of players contesting the pot against you by using the advantage of your position. The following pot, in which I was an active participant, will show you what I mean.
I was at the button and called a raise with K-9-9-6(s). The dealer flopped off-suited 8-7-3. Tony, who was on the immediate left of the big blind, came out firing. The raiser called. I decided to raise the pot because I put the raiser on a big pocket pair and I wanted to eliminate him from the contest in order to give my 9-9 a better chance of winning the money for me. If Tony had flopped two pairs, I could win the pot with a better two pairs or a straight and if he had trips, I could still win the pot with my straight draw or maybe trip Nines. As expected Tony called my raise and the player with the big pair folded his cards. The turn card was a blank.
Tony checked and so did I. The river card was another 3 and I won the pot with two pairs Nines and Threes.
2.4 Nothing
Do not entertain the thought of going for a backdoor flush or straight, just fold your cards gracefully and observe how your opponents play their hands.
I could write many other pages on pot-limit Omaha and still will not be able to cover the subject with justice. I hope, however, that this chapter has shown you the thrill of the game.