playing AA preflop in omaha 8 (hi lo)

Hi all.

interested to hear your thoughts on preflop play in o8.

AA23 and the likes are auto raises imo in any position.

However, how do u deal with say AA710 rainbow?

any other thoughts on preflop raising in o8 appreciated.

I`m looking for `in general` comments - i do appreciate it will depend on players at your table, chipstack, etc

You left out 1 key deciding factor - limit, PL or NL?

Regardless, I will probably limp from most positions. You can do a standard raise to isolate, particularly if it's PL or NL. In limit, you are raising to build the pot with a hand that has good likelihood to get at least half, if not scoop. So keep in mind, this hand has good potential for a big hand, but very low odds. It is a very rare board (perhaps not even possible) that has not even 1 of these 4 of these elements: 1) no possible flush 2) no possible straight 3) no pairing up for a boat or at LEAST trips 4) no low (or a better one than you could make).

AA23 is of course raisable, suited a bonus. But I'm fully prepared to fold it if the flop comes TJJ rainbow or 2-flush that I don't have.

AAT7 is le garbage... that's french.

You could play it as a steal attempt...

What you're really playing for is a chance to scoop the pot. You want hands that can hit the nut flush/straight and a low.

I am just beginning to play omaha hi/lo but I think that anytime you have good odds to scoop the pot in hi/lo you raise.

The only time I play AAxx is when it is double suited or single suited with a wheel card. If the table is very tight I may raise with either of these, in a loose game i want to see a cheap flop.

With a monster like AA23 double suited I want to build the pot but do it in such a way that keeps my investment low. So in ep or mp when i'm 1st or 2nd to act i'm limping with this. In lp with lots of callers i'm raising.

I'm always prepared to give hands like these up on the flop if i miss. If I hit for the nut high(or nut high draw) and nut low(or nut low draw) I'll continue trying to build the pot while keeping my investment to a minimum. If i hit the nuts in one way I'll bet and raise to force players out. I wouldn't bet and raise with just the nut low and no type of high hand.

Mike Cappelletti calls this Pushing and Pulling in his Omaha 8 book.

pot limit or nl omaha 8