It was time for some Pot Limit Omaha in Event 3 and it was our newbie Mr. Orange who happened to be the best in this game, winning the Event after already finishing second in the first event. Mr. Blue leads the overall ranking with 14 points, Mr. Orange became second with 12 points (Pink 11, Brown & White 10, Blonde 6).

Mr. Orange had to beat Mr. Blue heads-up after I was knocked out myself in third place in the event I really wanted to win. Now I have to really go for it in the last two events to catch up with Blue in the overall ranking again. The most important hand was played when we were all still in the tournament. Here we go:

Mr. White (button) 2400, XXXX

Mr. Orange  (sb, 15) 2550, AhAs5hQd

Mr. Blue (bb, 30) 1600, XXXX

Mr. Brown 1200, 8s9hTdJd

Ms. Pink 2700, KsKc6s6h

Ms. Blonde 1500, XXXX

Mr. Brown limps from under the gun, Pink bets pot, Orange raises pot from the small blind, both Brown and Pink call. Reasonably good plays from these PLO-donkeys. Then the flop is creating a lot of action: AcQhKh. This is a HUGE flop for Orange: flopping top set and the nut flush draw, while Brown flops the actual nuts (broadway) and Pink middle set. Orange leads out with a pot bet (I didn’t expect this good play from a n00b), Brown raises the maximum, Pink calls and Orange comes over the top again. Now Brown moves all-in and here’s the first donkey play: Pink calls again while she must know her middle set is never good here. Orange moves of course also and Pink is commited.

Then come the runners: 4c4s . So Orange takes down a HUGE main pot with Aces full (eliminating Mr. Brown) and Pink wins a small side pot with Kings full but is also crippled with only ten big blinds left. So Pink is eliminated next, followed by the other lady. I was knocked out myself because of a lot of bad luck and then it was Orange versus Blue again, just like in Event 1. This time it was Orange who won, by winning the crucial hand where he flopped a set of tens and Blue the nut flush draw. The draw wasn’t made and Orange took the bracelet. I’m going after that Winner Takes All bracelet.

Submitted by Mr. White

Every poker player will have its own different tactics to play the big pocket pairs from let’s say Queens to Aces. Hand like Jacks and Tens are known as ‘problem-hands’, as people are often dragged into big pots with those hands. But how to play the small pocket pairs preflop?

The great part of all poker players agrees on how to play them in early and middle position: just limp when possible and try to flop your set. Of course, in late position you can be a little more creative and try to win the pot preflop or acquire pot control. I have a little expample from a tournament I played this week, where I had 33 in early position:

Now this is a relatively weak raise on the button: three times the big blind with already two callers in front you. Maybe I should have bet the flop with the paired board but in the end I’m still able to pick up the pot with a good bet.

Mr. Brown has also sent me an interesting hand from an heads-up game he played on Full Tilt:

Apparently he’s playing Pot Limit Omaha for the moment and apparently he made a royal flush . Now I don’t know much about this game but the pot looks nice ^^.

Submitted by Mr. Blue