8, 21, 31, 32, 46, 47 - Gutshot Omaha

El Lotto. I’ve been playing it since 1994 now - one line a week. £1028 spent to date, and I think I have won £10 three times. It also seems that the lottery machine “Arthur” has it in for me. Twice he has spat out my numbers as the first three on the board before delivering three blanks to crush my money for nothing dream. Unfortunately, my numbers are now so burned into my memory banks that I can’t possibly stop playing now, as it’s inevitable what would happen. I believe it’s known a tax on the stupid :(

Anyhow - the £50 Gutshot Omaha tournament was my port of call last night. As you know, I am a great fan of deep stacked cash omaha - a game of careful thought and maths. However, I’ve only ever played one live Omaha tournament, and a few online, so to say I am an Omaha tournament rookie is an understatement. However, it seemed to me that there is far less art to Omaha tournaments than there is in cash. All pots are multi way, and all you can do is pick a spot and hope the lottery machine pops out cards in your favour.

I only really played 3 hands before my early bust out - it was a 6k double chance.

Hand1
UTG raises to 150 and I call with 5c7c8d9d. 2 other callers and then the SB pots it. The BB then goes all in BLIND (he had lost half his stack in the previous hand and wanted to get back to holdem I think). UTG passes and I decide to gamble and call. The reason for this, is my hand plays well against the likely big cards the SB is holding, even if he does have Aces, and with the blind all in this is a good chance to triple up early on.

Every one else passes except the SB, and although I hit my straight and diamond flush by the river, the SB had A♦Q♦ so won the huge pot with a bigger flush. I still feel this was the right play, although more cautious players will disagree.

Hand2
I am down to 2700 after missing a few flops. I limp UTG with KsKc8s7c and there are a few other limpers. The BB makes it 400 to go which is what I was after so I pot it for 1600. I get 2 callers :(
Flop is a disasterous AhJh2d
The BB leads out for my last 1k in chips and I pass. I don’t see the sense in putting in my last 1k, when I almost certainly drawing to a King and maybe even be up against a heart draw so will have one out! The other guy called and it was AKxx verses some other one pair hand.

Hand3
2 limpers and I shove my last 800 chips in with AhAdQh8H. I am repotted and then someone reshoves again and the first guy calls. They both have relatively poor hands:

AAQ8 v KJ84 v 9,6,5,3 (I think although only saw it quickly)

Good old lottery machine “Arthur” pops out a King and a 4 and I am done for the night.

Not sure I’ll play this again - I really enjoy Omaha cash but this tournament felt too random for me with the limited stacks. I think I played all 3 hands correctly, and twice had the best of it going in. The first hand is open to debate, but I did think it was a good spot to get an undominated hand in for a big stack, and I’d do it again (I concede my play was more suitable to a rebuy tournament though).

Fluke battled away and took 7th so myself and the Baron get a £15 rebate for our percentages in each other.

The rest of the week sees me at Loose Cannon, for the League on Thursday, and I’m going to spend an evening online on Saturday night, as I’ve neglected that for far too long. I’m also going to play the Gutshot Open on 23th August - £500 gets you a 20k starting stack with a 90 minute clock - almost as good as WSOP Main Event.

Right - off to fill out tonight’s lottery numbers.