Hand Of The Day #93

$4/$8 Omaha-8 ~ Peppermill ~ 03.19.12

Full table of nine players. Naturally, it's a limp-fest, including me on the Hyjack with Ac Jh 9h 4c. Seven players see the Flop As Jd 2s. The SB bets ($4), and two players call in front of me. I just call, since I have Top Two but no other draws. The Button also calls.

Turn [As Jd 2s] 8h. SB bet ($8). UTG+1 raised ($16). He's an 70's guy who just sat down, and his raise screams 43 for Nut Low. The Mid player cold-calls. He's another 70's guy who is a regular in this game, and is a Super-Nit. He's either got a very strong High hand, or a good Low with some other draws.

My turn now, and I hate this spot. All I have is Top Two Pair, with no Low and no other draws. There are four other players in this pot. The odds of Top Two being the best High right now is not great, and even worse after the River card. There's a decent chance that someone else has Top Two, and we would be chopping the High if I hit my Full House on the River. This pot is rather large at this point, but putting two Big Bets into this pot seems like playing Bingo, and I'm a better player than that. I fold after thinking about it for a bit. The Button also cold-calls, and the SB calls the raise.

River [As Jd 2s 8h] 9d. SB bet ($8), and everyone called. SB shows Ks 4s 3s for Nut Low & Huge Draw (Nut Flush and Steel Wheel). He should have 3-Bet the Turn, since he was on a freeroll. He already had the Nut Low, and could have won the High. You need to raise in those spots, because even if he just won a quarter of the pot, it would have been a bigger quarter. UTG+1 shows 4h 3h for Nut Low. I didn't see what Mid had, as he mucked. The Button has Ac 9s for Two Pair, and wins the High.

Sigh.

I'm happy with my fold, as it was the right thing to do at the time. It was just the wrong time to make the right play.