Pocket AA is better in hold'em or PLO?

Stepgov

Stepgov

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Total posts
926
Chips
0
I do not quite understand Omaha and I am having this issue.
In hold'em AA the best starting hand, but in PLO (Pot limit Omaha), where player gets four cards, the presence of AA is perceived not so enthusiastic.
Why is this so?
 
R

Rational Madman

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 11, 2017
Total posts
2,478
Chips
0
Because, if you want to use one of the other 2 cards in your hand to combine with the 3 community cards, than only one of your a's is valid meaning everyone else is entitled to the other pairs that show up and will probably 3kind you out.
 
Andrew Popov

Andrew Popov

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Jul 21, 2015
Total posts
2,845
Awards
4
Chips
132
In Omaha, one pair (even AA) wins very rarely, and it's almost impossible to win at the showdown on the highest card. The usual hand is that in Holdem is considered a monster - Street, flash, full house, quads ...
 
Iryna Stryzheuskaya

Iryna Stryzheuskaya

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Total posts
2,803
Awards
10
BY
Chips
151
AA is not a bad hand. But in Omaha often loses. Omaha is very dispersive, I think.
 
N

Napkins420

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 2, 2017
Total posts
253
Chips
0
AA is strong in Omaha, but it has to be a GOOD AA, meaning something else to go with it

AA74 is junk for example

AAJ10s is a nice starting hand

But if you really want to crush Omaha you want to play wraps, 78910 double suited etc, those hands do a lot of damage most of the time
 
SPANKYSN

SPANKYSN

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Total posts
1,445
Awards
6
Chips
41
Holding AA in NLHE, you can bet big to force out the marginal hands before they bite you on the river. In Omaha, many players will see the flop at least, at which time your AA can be a meaningless hand.
 
Gabinho12345

Gabinho12345

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 14, 2015
Total posts
1,290
Awards
24
Chips
0
You get aces more often in omaha than in hold'em because you get dealt 4 cards in omaha. Aces in omaha are always good to get it in preflop but they can be hard to play postflop and you'll rarely win the pot with just the pair of aces.
 
V

val4a102

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Total posts
1
Chips
0
AAA is the best cards preflop,but in omaha after 5 cards AA (1 pair hand) rarely will win
 
K

kozong

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Total posts
1,442
Awards
8
Chips
2
we can extract more value w/ AA pre flop on NLH than PLO
 
Z

zannie27

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 13, 2015
Total posts
86
Chips
0
Hands down Holdem.. Granted pocket Aces get cracked in Holdem but in Omaha especially 8 game, even if you spike trips on the flop the odds usually are that your Aces won't hold.. More cards=more playable hands=more people in hands.. So.. Definitely Holdem!!
 
Stepgov

Stepgov

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Total posts
926
Chips
0
Thank you for your answers. I was interested to read all of it.
 
S

skaterick

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Jul 2, 2015
Total posts
1,769
Awards
10
US
Chips
123
You want to have straight and flush possibilities as well as your AA big pair . When you begin with 4 cards in PLO , there are actually 6 different 2 card combinations . If they all work together you really have a powerhouse . You could have 2 nut flush possibilities , 3 broadway straight chances , and a 2 pair hand ( that could fill up too ) .
 
P

paulsmall007

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 18, 2016
Total posts
571
Chips
0
its still a good hand, double suited wraps would be better than pocket aces tho
 
F

Forbesy604

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Total posts
178
Chips
0
MUCH better in hold em in my experience
 
A

AE_140615

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Total posts
10
Chips
0
I dont like AA when PLO, because in PLO is easier to have a straight or flush to have a set, and if the river u got a pair, it is a huge risk that the other players can have better hands
 
zwbb

zwbb

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Sep 2, 2017
Total posts
1,072
Awards
6
Chips
30
because in Omaha 2 cards are needed to compose a combination. and AA do not help much
 
P

Pavel One

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Oct 8, 2017
Total posts
6
Chips
0
no better, but i always 3bet with this hand
 
Trick1988

Trick1988

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 28, 2017
Total posts
255
Chips
0
The usual hand is that in Holdem is considered a monster - Street, flash, full house, quads ...
 
vinnie

vinnie

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Total posts
1,208
Awards
1
US
Chips
50
Because, if you want to use one of the other 2 cards in your hand to combine with the 3 community cards, than only one of your a's is valid meaning everyone else is entitled to the other pairs that show up and will probably 3kind you out.
Now you are offering Omaha wisdom? Have you even played more than a dozen hands of real money Omaha?

AAxx is a strong hand in Omaha. If the money goes in before the flop, you will almost certainly have the best of it. But, the game is pot-limit and the money almost certainly won't be all-in before the flop. You are probably going to see a flop with it.

In hold'em hand values are fairly static. If you had the best hand preflop, you will have the best hand on the flop the vast majority of the time. And the best hand on the flop remains the best and the turn most of the time. Same thing for turn to river.

This is not the case for Omaha. Hand values are very dynamic. AAxx will still be the best hand (heads up) on a lot of flops, but significantly less flops than AA would still be best in hold'em. And, those times when it is best, your opponent could have multiple draws, pair plus draws, and so on to where they have the equity to get the money in and see the river. If you 3-bet your AAxx hand (which you should most of the time), it is usually obvious what you have. Most players don't 3-bet other hands often enough.

It gets worse. You don't know what draws your opponent has on the flop. So a board of 9c8d3c is just horrible when you have AAxx and no clubs. Any club or a 5, 6, 7, 10, J, or Q completes an obvious draw your opponent might have. If the 8 or 9 pairs, they could have trips. That is like 2/3rds of the deck that could have changed the leader. On the turn, if there is still lots of money, you will have to guess if your opponent is bluffing or hit.

The nuts on the flop is rarely the nuts by the river. AAxx is still a powerhouse hand and should be treated as such. It just isn't as obviously profitable as AA in hold'em.
 
R

Rational Madman

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 11, 2017
Total posts
2,478
Chips
0
Now you are offering Omaha wisdom? Have you even played more than a dozen hands of real money Omaha?

AAxx is a strong hand in Omaha. If the money goes in before the flop, you will almost certainly have the best of it. But, the game is pot-limit and the money almost certainly won't be all-in before the flop. You are probably going to see a flop with it.

In hold'em hand values are fairly static. If you had the best hand preflop, you will have the best hand on the flop the vast majority of the time. And the best hand on the flop remains the best and the turn most of the time. Same thing for turn to river.

This is not the case for Omaha. Hand values are very dynamic. AAxx will still be the best hand (heads up) on a lot of flops, but significantly less flops than AA would still be best in hold'em. And, those times when it is best, your opponent could have multiple draws, pair plus draws, and so on to where they have the equity to get the money in and see the river. If you 3-bet your AAxx hand (which you should most of the time), it is usually obvious what you have. Most players don't 3-bet other hands often enough.

It gets worse. You don't know what draws your opponent has on the flop. So a board of 9c8d3c is just horrible when you have AAxx and no clubs. Any club or a 5, 6, 7, 10, J, or Q completes an obvious draw your opponent might have. If the 8 or 9 pairs, they could have trips. That is like 2/3rds of the deck that could have changed the leader. On the turn, if there is still lots of money, you will have to guess if your opponent is bluffing or hit.

The nuts on the flop is rarely the nuts by the river. AAxx is still a powerhouse hand and should be treated as such. It just isn't as obviously profitable as AA in hold'em.
I stated a fact not an opinion.
 
vinnie

vinnie

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Total posts
1,208
Awards
1
US
Chips
50
I stated a fact not an opinion.
A 'fact' that was meaningless and offered no value or contribution to this discussion. If you are using one (or more) of your other cards, you are making a hand better than a pair of Aces. That would be a good thing.

The fact that you are not using one of your aces does not increase the chances that your opponent has trips. And, your response implies that trips is what you are worried about beating you. You really have no idea how the game works or plays. It is best to not display that in public.
 
R

Rational Madman

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 11, 2017
Total posts
2,478
Chips
0
A 'fact' that was meaningless and offered no value or contribution to this discussion. If you are using one (or more) of your other cards, you are making a hand better than a pair of Aces. That would be a good thing.

The fact that you are not using one of your aces does not increase the chances that your opponent has trips. And, your response implies that trips is what you are worried about beating you. You really have no idea how the game works or plays. It is best to not display that in public.
Every single person other than you agreed entirely with me in this thread. You are just being a little sh**head to me at any given opportunity and no one is even joining anymore.
 
Top