Highs And Lows Of Omaha

"Shuffle Up & Deal" - 4pm $130 Omaha-8 at the Peppermill for their "Deep Stack Classic". Tables are 10-handed, and it looks like there are 6-7 tables. It's hard to tell, as the 12p $130 NLHE is still going. I also played in that one, but only lasted 45 minutes.

We have eight players and two stacks. For once, I'm not the youngest player at the table. A Dealer from GSR is at the table, and he's a good player.

I have 6500 chips, and the levels are 20 min long.

End of Level 1 (50/100) - Now nine players. I'm trying to keep my VPIP low, as these small pots mean nothing. I would rather observe the other players, and set up a tight table image.

I did raise three hands preflop, but airballed all of them. I have 5825 chips.

Level 2 (100/200) - We have a full table now. We are also in a corner, and the lighting is terrible. The Floor said he can't move us to another open table, as those are saved for the 7pm tourney. However, we will be the first table to break. Of course, since this is a Limit tourney, that should be around two hours from now.

More airballs for most of the level. However, in the last of the level, I raised (200) from Button with 5d 4d 2c Ah. I fired on all three street, and got two callers on the River. I won the Low with A5, and won half the Hi with Two Pair (42).

I have 7075 chips.

Level 3 (150/300) - The only thing of interest was the lighting problem was fixed. They spun the table 90 degrees to shift it more towards the lights.

I have 6775 chips.

Level 4 (200/400) - Only played one hand. I called a raise (400) on Button with Ac Tc 7s 4s. Three of us saw the Flop As 8d 6s. They checked, I bet, and they folded.

I have 7075 chips.

Level 5 (300/600) - I played two pots of interest. First, I raised (600) UTG with Ac Kc Js Tc. Only BB called. Flop was AKK. The BB check-called all three streets with the case King.

Second hand was with me in SB with Ah 5h 9h Ts. Flop was T98. I lead out, got a couple of callers, and the Hijack raised. Everyone called, and a low card hit the Turn. I check-called a bet from the Hijack. River was 7. I checked, but the BB bet and Hijack just called. I know my Two Pair was no good, and it's hard to see my A5 being good for the Low with the BB betting out. I folded, and both players showed QJ, no Low. Sigh!

I have 6700 chips.

BREAK - Looks like six tables for our tourney, with 61 entrants. Nobody at our table is shortstacked. The 12p tourney is on dinner break. They had 67 entries, and are down to the last two tables.

Level 6 (400/800) - In the BB, the Flop was AK9. The BB bet (400), and I called with A9 along with one other player. We checked it down, and my Two Pair was good.

I also raised (800) with Ad 2d 3s 7s. The hand had three players, with one of them being All-In preflop. I ended up winning the Low with A7, as the 3 and 2 hit the Board. The All-In player was eliminated, and we finally lost a player.

I have 6200 chips.

Level 7 (600/1200) - Players are finally busting, and our table broke. With twenty minute levels, we aren't getting many hands in, especially with someone being All-In on most hands. So, I'm falling behind on recording hands because I'm usually in those hands that take forever.

I got shortstacked, and raised (1200) in the last hand of the level with 6d 3h 2d Ac. One player was All-In preflop, and I got All-In on the Turn against a third player. I ended up with Two Pair (62) and A3 Nut Low. I won 3/4 the Side Pot, as he also had A3. However, the preflop All-In player had a Straight, so I got 1/4 of the Main Pot. Overall, I made a small profit.

I have 5300 chips.

Level 8 (800/1600) - I raised with Ah Qs Jh 4s, and ended up winning the Low with a Live-4 Low.

In the SB, I called with Ad Td 7d 5c. Flop was 9c 5h 2d, and was checked around. Turn [9c 5h 2d] 5d. I bet (1600) with Trip-5 and Nut Flush Draw. BB raised (3200), and it folded back to me. I take a moment to think. He's probably Full, so my Flush Draw is no good. I doubt he has 99, since it was checked around. If he has 95, 52 or 22, then I have outs (A or T) to a larger Boat. Plus I do have an emergency Low Draw with A7.

So I shipped it All-In for 400 on top, and he called with 95XX and no Low Draw. But the [9c 5h 2d 5d] Kc on the River sent me out in 38th place.

Overall, a frustrating day. I had some good hands and some bad ones. However, my chip stack never broke the 8000 mark. It just hovered between 5500 and 7500, and the structure caught up to it. In Limit tournaments, you can't raise or 3-bet to steal blinds and antes. You need to catch some hand, especially when the levels go up and the pots get bigger. You also need to scoop some pots in a Hi/Lo game, but that didn't happen. I either lost the pot, or won just half.