NL O8 vs PL O8

I've been playing the No Limit Omaha 8 SNGs lately on Pokerstars, and I find my variance much higher than on the Pot Limit SNGs. I find people just pushing with any AAxx hand no matter if the blinds are just 15-30. It seems that even when you push a hand like A 2 3 K someone calls with a hand like 9 10 J J and you lose. Does anyone know it these SNGs are worth playing or should I just stick to the Pot Limit SNGs?

AAxx is generally the best way in NLO8 to chip up. early in a sng or even a mtt I will limp shove even on the first level of the tourney if I can get some bozo to call. Most times they call you with A2xx and that is a great hand matchup as your AAxx is sometimes as much as a 2:1 favorite (when you have a low too like a 2 or a 3 and suited).. as you well know getting your money in Omaha as a 2:1 favorite is as best as you can ask for..take it..

Now the only caveat to the above is with an all high AAxx hand.. there I wont shove pre because with only having one side of the nuts is not a good strategy in O8.. In that case I will just call and see a flop and if there is only one or two to a low you have a lot more options. You might even be able to shove on the flop with an overpair or a set and the nut straight draw...again this is one of those types of situations where you can win a big pot because some bozo wont expect you to have AAxx..

good luck..

h

Hammah,

Just wondering what your thoughts were on playing the Pot Limit Omaha 8 event at the WSOP instead of the Limit event. I don't have any "live" pot limit experience (plenty on-online though). I was thinking of either playing the $1500 pot-limit event at the end of June, or waiting until next year and spreading that $1500 out this year by playing a couple of events at the Golden Nugget's "The Grand" poker series and a pot limit event at the Binion Poker Classic to get a feel for the live version of PLO8.

the $1500 PLO8 event is my favorite event at the WSOP. I have played it the last two years and will continue to play it as long as they have it on the schedule. As long as you play it online you should be good to go. Although the play online is much worse that what you will find live. Players online simply dont understand the nature of the O8 portion of the game and chase.. Your variance online will be higher. that said the PLO8 wsop tourney is chock full of pros..

at my table last year I recognized 5 out of the 9 players at my table. My big hit was bluffing with the nut low on a flushing board against a major Full Tilt Pro and he folded.. but then again a guy I didnt recognize called my repot bet after he potted with A258 one nut in spades when I had AA103 double suited and floped the nut nut draw.. My repot bet was for half my stack so I wasnt folding any flop and he knew it and called anyways. He hit flush on turn and I was down to a 2 to win half the pot ..it didnt come and I was out..

I still think that the PLO8 tourney is a good one since luck is a bit diminished by the structure of the game.. that said I got coolered and lost .. but I will be ther again this year.

h