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AlwaysSC · High Card Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Posts: 1

I've found it to be pretty hard to get good information on Omaha 8/b. I don't know if I haven't been looking in the right spot but it seems there aren't too many books out there on the subject.

In the one book I have read with info on the subject, and the few people who have given me their own advice, one thing has remained constant. Always play A2, Only play A2, always raise with A2, A2 this and A2 that, A2 A2 A2.

Here's my problem. For example: I'm in middle position and a guy raises up front and I'm sitting here with A27J rainbow. Or even worse (just to get me into trouble later on in the hand) the 2 and the 7 are suited. What should I do? Raise, Call, or fold. I know a lot of people are saying Duh, you at least call if not raise, after all you have A2! But A27J? That's a hand you wouldn't be caught dead with playing in Omaha Hi. And after all how often does a low possibility actually come out? And out of those times how often is A2 the nut low? And even when you do make the nut low with it you still might only get a quarter of the pot, because you know if anybody else had an A2 their gonna be in there playing it.

So I guess I'm trying to say I think A2 may be overrated. If you're sitting in middle position with a junk hand that happens to have an A2 in it and someone raises up front it would probably be a good idea to just muck a hand like A27J. Of course I am not a professional and I may have no idea what I'm talking about. Which is why I'm making this post. I hope to get some feedback from all of you and to get your thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of A2. Thanks.

bonzodrums0 · Straight Flush Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 394

I will only call with a-2 if the ace is suited or there are connecting cards. Otherwise i will probably fold it, cuz u get quartered a lot of the time with it.

DJ Ninjah · Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 5:20 pm Post subject:

IMO, A-2 is a limp early, raise late hand. First the reason why A-2 is so powerful is you are drawing to 3/5 of the deck (A-8 give you a low meaning that if you hold A-2-T-K there are 30/50 cards that you need to hit three of in five attempts to give you a low). Unfortunately the hand you describe is particualy vulerable to counterfitting. If an ace or a two hit the board, you now need to make the low using A-7 or 2-7 which needless to say, is not a very good low. With A-2-7-J rainbow, I'd limp from any position before the cutoff, maybe raise if it gets to me in late enough position and there aren't too many limps, and almost definitely fold to a raise if I am anywhere except the cutoff or button. Post flop if I don't have a good draw I fold immediately. As was said eariler, EVERONE plays A-2 so there is a very bad risk of being quartered, especially with a very weak A-2 hand. Really I'd only make a big pre-flop push with hands like A-2-3-x or A-2-4-x along with the ace being suited.

dumwaldo · Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:20 am Post subject:

Super System 2 has a great section on omaha 8.

mosadi · Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 9:03 am Post subject:

This site has some good information on low limit Omaha 8 that I read when I started playing HORSE. (I think it's designed for beginners.):

http://www.lowlimitomaha.com/

BOYNAMEDSUE · Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:41 pm Post subject:

Annie Duke has a few good articles about O8B, and specifically about playing A2. Check it out on UB's website.

GripHoldOn · Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:30 am Post subject:

A2 is strong to have, but it by itself doesn't turn a garbage hand into a gem. It doesn't give you a great chance at the high, and hands that have a potential to scoop are the hands that you should be playing for raises and such.

doctavius · High Card Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 2

basically as Dj said, A2 has the best drawing possibilites. You should probably always play A2. Even If my A2 isnt matched with some good high potential i still call. I dont care really if someone raises before me ill call anyway especially if there are many other players in the hand. In omaha you want lots of people in the pot when you have A2. You want people to call with their bad draws. Now in a full table if your in early position with A2 say double suited ill still personally just limp, as i said i want people in the pot with bad draws. Another reason i want alot of people in the pot is when i do get quartered there is much more of other peoples money in the pot so i generally will lose less to a quarterd pot.

The reason for this is Omaha is mostly a flop type game, wher you play off what the flop gives you. Ive had many sessions where A2 has gone horribly wrong which is another reason to just play cheaply at a full table. It also depends on how many maniacs your playing with. Very loose omaha players are like money in the bank.

Now at a short handed game say 5 or less your raising potential goes way up with A2 as most poeple will call with worse low draws.

GripHoldOn · Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:41 am Post subject:

At a full table, a naked A2 is not that strong. Since people love to play A2, anyone else who has A2 (and this is not uncommon) will enter the pot, many times with a better high potential. If you do happen to make a low, the best you can get is a quarter of the pot, and you probably won't win high. A2 is strong, but only if something else is with it.

hellsditch · High Card Joined: 08 Jul 2006 Posts: 19

haha, i'm playin Omaha 8/ right now and just got A2510

Uncle_Buz · Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 6:02 am Post subject:

Last week in my regular Wednesday night game, four people were betting and raising and capping the pot all the way to the river (Limit). At showdown three of us proudly rolled over A2 and took down a sixth of the pot! The high guy had a nut straight.

Paprika · Full House Joined: 08 Feb 2006 Posts: 194

Lately playing 08 live, I have been making the mistake of waiting& waitingf or the great A2xx hands to appear and missing out on some great high hands that I would have made. I am now still playing those A2xx and A3xx hands but opening up and seeing a few more flops with high only hands in postion especially. I see way too many good high hands scooping not to really. I dont play every high hand and still look for both low & high hands but I dont want to be too predictable like I have been in the past, I'm way too easy to read by a few at the tables by just folding all the time waiting for those A2xx hands.

My 2 cents.

Steamed Rice · Message Board Junkie Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 1433

to the OP

you fold that hand in MP

#1: You likely are a longshot to win the high
#2: You will likely get quartered with the low
#3: There might not even be a low
#4: Counterfeit possibilities

Yes it is attractive to see A2 in your hand, but with AJ72 your best bet is to fold

madrad2002 · High Card Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 3

with only a plain A,2 hand i only limp in, i think its wrong to raise, and i only call small raises. i think A-2 alone is only like 25 or 33%(cant remember which) to actually end up being the nut low. after all first you need a low to hit, and you need to dodge an A or a 2 hitting through all 5 cards. the reason you want to limp with A,2 is since you want as many people behind you as possible to call. this way, the half of the pot you get will be greater, and you'll have more people chasing the high, or a worse low. now if its like A,2,3 or A,2,A,K double suited then obviously its good to get as much in as possible, but A,2 alone with nothing else to stand on isnt that good.

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