Horseshoe Cincinnati PLO Cash Gaming

7-1-2013
1-2 PLO Hi Cash Gaming at Horseshoe Cincinnati

The floor was nice enough to start the game short handed. Although it started 4 handed, it eventually became 6 handed before hero's brief 1.5 hour session ended.

Cincinnati's 1-2 PLO game has 5 bring in. 100-500 min-max buyin.

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Hero dealt: Axxx suited (like A974)
Hero on the button

CO: limps
Hero: raises to $25
SB: calls
BB: calls

(4 players - $100 in pot)
Flop: 3J6 (two tone)
all players check

(4 players - $100 in pot)
Turn: 3J62 (two tone)
all players check

(4 players - $100 in pot)
River: 3J624 (flush draw misses)
checks to hero
Hero bets 55
SB: folds
BB: calls
CO: folds

Villain shows A5xx and wins the pot.

Analysis:
River: Board is now 4 straight and villains have shown large amounts of passiveness. This seems like a good spot to steal for a small bet.

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Same player who called down in previous hand is the BB in this hand.

5 handed
Hero dealt: 7543 (5h 3h)

UTG+1: folds
Hero: raises
Button: folds
SB: calls
BB: calls

(3 players - 75 in pot)
Flop: 826 two tone (hero no fd)
SB: checks
BB: checks
Hero: Bets 45
SB: folds
BB: calls

(2 players - 165 in pot)
Turn: 8265 (two tone)
BB: checks
Hero: bets 85
BB: calls
BB says - "I'll check and let you control size of pot"

(2 players - 335 in pot)
River: 8265Q (flush draw misses)
(BB checks blind)
Hero: thinks, bets 100
BB: quickly calls

Hero shows 8 high straight.
BB: mucks

Analysis:
Preflop: This is a decent open, even though the run down cards are somewhat weak (gap at top, low rank)
Flop: Although hero actually has bad end of OESD, hero should cbet as a semi bluff. In short handed spot, it's likely to take the pot down.
Turn: Hero should bet 2nd nuts for value, but fold to any raises. There's a possibility of making turn bet sizing a little bigger since villain is likely calling with range.
River: Same as turn. Villain's range seems more like missed draws (flush draws) or 2p/set hands that want to get to showdown. Hero may be able to bet a bit bigger, but villain is likely looking at absolute bet size amount. Thus, hero may have picked right river bet size given villain's type.