Half & Half Part 2

So here is the scoop on that half PLO and half PLO 8/b game I played...

We were playing with almost every player doing a five dollar button straddle and every player being at least 200 bb's deep. Game was very limpy and was playing lagy post-flop.
There was an even mix of players, some horrendous, some average, some good. So to be honest I was not sure what my strategy overall should be, as the players who were good were lagy and the average players were tag post-flop and the horrible players were just overall involved in every hand.
Overall, I ended up doing a lot of open limping from early on with hands that were playing well multi-way, and was loving those hands much more than any premium hand from early as you could never limit the field with a pot-sized raise (if they wanted to play they would no matter the early raise)... and was raising for value in late position with multiple hands to isolate ( a pot-sized raise here actually could thin the field ) and disguise my hand better.

Here are a couple of the hands that I was involved in...
1. PLO 8/b, As-2s-Qd-10d.
No Button straddle this hand. Playing six-handed, 2 limpers, I am on the button and raise to 10.
Both limpers call.

Flop Qs-10c-3d
I hit the flop decently, but am not getting married to it, surely. But I did want to maintain my bet-sizing a little smaller, in case I got check-raised ( which was happening often in this game ) and putting me to a tough decision.
Checked to me and I bet 18.
First limper folds and second limper ( who is a very good player, capable of a bluff with a blank queen here or air ) check-raises me to 75.
I am putting him on a K-J-( A or 9 )- X wrap, a queen and a wrap or turning a Q or 10 into a semi-bluff. I didn't place his range to include a set, because he was observant enough to notice that my c-betting frequency was not big, since most flops were playing very loose and extremely multi-way. Not to mention if he held a set he did not want me to get a free card on a board that more than likely hit my hand ranges either really big or piss poor.
I decided I did not want to play for the rest of my money on the flop ( began the hand with 350-ish ), and was going to go with it if a non-wrap clincher card came on the turn... as I knew he would probably fire pot-sized or close to it even if he missed.

Turn 10s
Gin!!! I am not going anywhere now.
He fires 120. I've got around 270 at this point and decided to make a quick call, trying to make him believe I was just taking a stand with aces and if he hits maybe he will fire off the rest of his chips on the river and give him a chance to bluff the river.

River 4h
He checks the river! NO!!!!!
So now I fire the rest, as I felt I couldn't pull out some weird bet size that would get called. Of course, he folded.
Bummer.

2. PLO, Ad-Qd-Js-9c ($450)... I think I played this hand real poorly and got lucky to win
Button straddle to start and I am in the small blind. I raise to 15, bb called, mp caller and button calls.

Flop 10c-8c-3s
I check, and for no particular reason why. Checks around

Turn 5d
I bet 45. Again, unsure why it was okay to bet now and not before. I had no real plan in the hand, I just played it like a complete fool.
Button thinks for a long time and smooth calls.


River Ac
I start to analyze the hand for a second before doing anything... and the button's indecisiveness gave me the instinct that he had a set of 5's or 3's. I decided if I applied the pressure with a pot-sized bet he would fold, as he seemed to be playing squeaky clean after being up a couple of bills for the night.
So I bet 140. He mulls it over for about a minute and folds.

Funny how this game is... one minute you have a plan for the entire hand and you win and then you enter the next one with no real hope and still pull one out of your ass.

Another awesome incident that happened at this table and a first for me, through a decent amount of years playing live...
This older gentleman, who was playing horrendously bad was down 20 dimes in this game and when he went to reach into his pocket for another 500 his wife came in behind him and started to scold him. He said he would be done in a half hour... she just drifted back about 25 feet and had this look to her like her head was going to explode.
About 5 minutes later he lost 300 dollars check-calling a flop, turn and river bet with one pair and a gutshot. After that hand a Rio security guard tapped this guy on the shoulder and said " Sir, it is about time you go up to your room ", he then immediately picks up his cheques and leaves.
I know some people like to think of me as a degenerate at times, but I have never got to that level... and I sure as hell hope I never do either.

Main Event starts in two days. Let's see what kind of mob we will have at the Rio then!