Pot Limit Ohama Button Play - Aggressive in Position

Playing buttons and playing them aggressively is the absoloute key to making money

That sounds simple but it is one of the most important principles in all of poker.

It is just as true in PLO as it is in other games, more so in PLO because position matters a bit more than it does in other games.

If you understand the function of the button and how much stealing goes on there, you will in turn play better from there.

This means isolating from that spot, and stealing way more when it is folded to you. You will also be able to combat the button when appropriate. This means when you’re in the blinds facing an aggressive button you will flat and three bet more, and fold less. If you are raising from early position and a loose button keeps three betting you, you will also begin to fold less as you will have an idea of what is going on there.

Those are just some basic theory examples, lets take a look at two basic button situations from actual play.

Example 1

Poker Stars $1/$2 Pot Limit Omaha – 6 players

UTG: $475

 HJ: $692

CO: $390

Hero (BTN): $426

SB: $350

BB: $380

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is BTN with kj89

CO raises to $7, Hero raises $21, folds.

Both of the blinds are on the tight side. CO is playing tight and meek, he’s shown that he is capable of folding to large bets on the turn and river.

As hero we should consider re-raising or folding to this sort of villain, this is because our hand is a little too disconnected to play without the initiative. This villain has shown that he is capable of folding pre flop and on later streets so re-raising him here with a hand that is just a bit too weak to flat call is usually the best play.

Example 2

Poker Stars $1/$2 Pot Limit Omaha – 6 players

UTG: $475

HJ: $692

CO: $390

Hero (BTN): $426

SB: $350

BB: $380

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is BTN with kj109

CO raises to $7, Hero raises $21, CO re-raises to $61, Hero calls $40.

Flop: ($125) ka4 (2 players)

CO bets 63$, Hero ?

This is a mimic situation, except our hand is a little stronger. Also, the open raiser here is instead very aggressive and creative on all streets, capable of pulling all the triggers.

In this spot we chose to 3bet that aggressive CO and get 4bet. Flatting against this type of villain pre flop is usually the best play since you keep the pot manageable to out maneuver him on later streets.

As played, we ended up calling the 4bet pre flop because our hand plays great in position. He cbets the flop. We have a pair of Kings and two backdoor flush draws but are in a conundrum on how to continue with our hand. The pot is quickly getting too large. If we peel a card, an aggressive opponent like this will make us feel very uncomfortable on a number of turns, he will also get it in with good equity a lot against our hand more so than a weak opponent. (As you can see flatting on the flop would be the standard play here keeping the pot smaller and to manage it better in posiiton.)

In low stakes play, most of the money you will make will come from late position. This is because you will isolate from those spots the most. When folded to, you will also steal from these spots the most. Late position is also where you will want to flat raises , and put in three and four bets. In general, you should to most of your fighting on the button and cut off. Work on improving your late position play, and your results will improve.

You should also check how Mixing it Up in Pot Limit Omaha can help you and of-course make sure to know all there is to know about Omaha Poker before trying to get deeper in Strategic articles.