The Chainsaw Report, Vol. 4

Today was the $5K PLO 8-or-better. I have played Omaha-8 or better for many years, but only played the PLO version a few times. The object in PLO is to have redraw hands with a low and to get your money in with, hopefully, a shot at 3/4 of the pot or scooping. Hands with an ace and two other wheel cards, suited aces with low cards, and hands with connected high cards play well in this format.

My first table seemed like a fairly reasonable draw. Two players barely understood the game. One guy called a pot-sized raise with only a 2-3 low draw and a gutshot on the turn and needed an ace on the river to get half. The other player just shipped his stack to Amnon Filippi on a flushed board on the turn with only a set.

Eli Elezra joined our table late and got involved in a lot of hands and got really lucky on a few pots to build an early stack.

I saved my rebuy chips until the third level, On level 2, I got involved in two key pots. I defended my big blind with some low cards and a pair of kings, with one suit in hearts with one of the low cards. The flop came with hearts and a pair and I called James VanAlstyne’s all in for the rest of his chips. He had aces but I hit my flush to take down a small pot, and James used his add-on chip.

Next came a key early hand. The flop came 7-7-2 and Eli, who had raised preflop, made a continuation bet. I called with the nut low and backdoor draws with A-3-5-6. Amnon called with A-3-3-9. The turn was a lovely four. Now I had the super wrap and the nut low. Eli checked, I bet the pot and Amnon called. The river was another seven and we checked it down, Amnon had backed into a full house with his A-3 low and I got quartered.

We got moved shortly thereafter and i arrived at the action table of the tournament. Seat one was Miami John, seat 2 Eli, seat 3 Rolande DeWolfe, seat 4 John Guth, me in seat 5, seat 6 Mike Baxter from high-stakes poker, then Jeff Lisandro.

Several pots were potted and repotted before the flop. One hand Jeff and an aggressive player got all in with A-A-3-7 vs. A-2-K-K for over 100K preflop.

I maintained my chip stack at this table and got involved in one key pot with Jeff. Roland opened for a raise, I called with A-2-9-10, and Jeff called with A-5-6-10. The flop came 7-10-10. Roland bet the pot, I shoved all in and Jeff reshoved, Roland folded and i was hoping Jeff didn't have the dreaded sevens. I was in great shape. The turn was a low card, and I was almost freerolling. If Jeff hit one of his full house cards, I would automatically win the low. If another low card hit other than Jeffs cards I would win 3/4, and I would also win 3/4 if a nine hit.

The river six chopped a fairly large pot, and I moved shortly thereafter.

I couldn't get anything going at my new table and was one of two short stacks. I called a raise with 2-4-Q-Q double-suited in a multiway pot. I paired my four on the flop and had an overpair (queens). It was checked around, and I gladly took the free card. The turn paired my two and gave me two pair and a flush draw. When they all checked again, I shoved all in. Somehow I was called with 5-8-K-K no suits. He basically called over half his chips with a 5-8 low and one pair of kings. We chopped the pot and I won some of the dead money from the other players.

We were playing 400/800 blinds and I had about 9,300 chips so I needed to make a move. The under-the-gun player opened for 2,000. I shoved all in with A-2-2-7 for my 9,300. 7,300 more is a lot, and I had a very good table image, so there was a chance he would just fold if it got back to him. No other players called, and he finally called the rest of my stack with a modest A-5-6-J.

The flop was a pair so I had the lead with two pair. I needed to fade a 5 6 or J on the turn and river, and had backdoor nut low draw. The worst possible card hit the turn, the dreaded Jack, and sealed my fate.

Today is the $1,500 2,800-player no-limit. If that doesn't go as planned, there is always the $1,500 HORSE on Sunday....