PLO is good for the soul

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NewbSaibot United States. Apr 25 2014 00:00. Posts 4946

So I finally got my hud restored and started spectating PLO tables and saw people running around 45vpip on average all the way up to 90+ and told myself "this looks fucking profitable", and it is. I'm up a bunch of buyins at NL25 hoping to move up aggressively as long as I'm not just a fish on a heater. My average stats are usually 30/23 or so which I think is pretty decent for a PLO player, so I know my results arent just due to maniacal play. But all of that is beside the point, what's really great about PLO is how deep it builds your understanding of other poker fundamentals.

For starters I have graduated into deepstacked play. I used to be terrified of playing more than 200BB's deep and even quit playing live poker for the last 6 months because I couldnt stomach big pots. All that is gone now because in PLO you end up playing 300-400BB's deep pretty quick so you have to sack up and get used to it. Whats even better is that in PLO you want to play deep. It gets deep for a reason as any PLO player knows because it is a "drawing game" or so I've heard. Draws make for big pots.

The other thing I've learned is just how desirable and down right fun value betting can be. In NLHE I've always had a slight case of MUBS or "Monsters Under the Bed Syndrome", whereby I'm paranoid of every turn/river thinking my opponent has probably sucked out on me somehow. So I make big bets and actually feel relieved when people fold instead of call. Almost satisfied really, which probably has more to do with my ego than fear sometimes. I never tap the glass, but in my head I'm always thinking "fuck you you piece of shit fish". Now they're just like warm cuddle bears that I want to snuggle with and never let go

But in PLO I find myself riding on the edge of my seat begging for calls. Why? Because in PLO you often make big hands, which puts me at a high degree of confidence. When you're flopping sets and turning flushes every other hand it's hard not to get excited about a payday, which is great for boosting confidence with your value bets. So many hands in holdem revolve around single pair scenarios that it's hard to be thrilled about getting it allin with just top pair. But in PLO it's like "oh shit I haz a boat! PLZ PLZ PLZ CALL ME!!!" Wanting calls and playing deep is like the perfect recipe for success.

And finally, I have dropped my winstop nonsense. For awhile I would set arbitrary goals like "win $100 today" and then quit no matter what once I got there. The idea was to give me something to aim for to stay focused, and to have something to feel proud about and finish each session on a high note. I knew I was leaving money on the table but it didnt matter, my mindset was so poor that I just had to win something to feel good about the session at all. Besides being counter-intuitive to general poker strategy 101, it's absolute blasphemy in PLO. So now I enjoy grinding out long sessions until the fish run dry. I often find myself the last one at the table before I quit. As long as you're not minbuying I'll play.

Anyway I know Joeingram is on some sick 20 year hustle to populate the PLO crowd for his grandkids, but it really is a good game and quite enjoyable once you learn the ropes. It's funny looking back at how I just now learn things that the rest of you have preached for 5 years.

0 votes

bye now

Sliggy Australia. Apr 25 2014 00:12. Posts 742

Any resources you can recommend for those of us who are PLO n00bs / barely know the rules?

sup

NewbSaibot United States. Apr 25 2014 01:13. Posts 4946

Study the Hutchinson system to learn what makes a good hand preflop and what doesnt. It's hard to memorize all the hand ranges in PLO that make a good hand, but if you use a point system you can come to the same ranges without flat out memorizing them.

bye now

Last edit: 25/04/2014 01:20

waga United Kingdom. Apr 25 2014 08:21. Posts 2375

So essentially you run super good.
Have fun and enjoy

Mortensen8 Chad. Apr 25 2014 08:27. Posts 1845

Rear naked woke

napalm Poland. Apr 25 2014 19:48. Posts 171

oh boy you are in for a suprise later

whamm! Albania. Apr 26 2014 17:02. Posts 11625

stnd welcome rungood for PLO
its going to drive you insane soon enough

Joeingram1 United States. Apr 28 2014 11:29. Posts 943

hahahaha YESSSSSS!!! its working!!!!!!!