My Nebraska Connection
by Luckbox
I don't know how popular poker is in Nebraska. Most gambling is illegal in the state (although you can play the lottery and keno just about anywhere). I've always thought it interesting that Nebraska legalized two forms of gambling with the worst odds, but I digress.
My point is that you're not likely to find much poker action in the Cornhusker state. So how, then, did one of the most popular poker games get named after Nebraska's biggest town?
That's for another day because, frankly, a quick google search provided no answers. Instead, I'd like to let you in on my second Omaha tourney money-making experience since picking up the game.
It's another Planet Poker tourney with 34 entrants. It's a $5 buy-in this time instead of the $1 tourney I played in last time. And this time it's limit instead of pot limit.
I'll pick up the action at the final table where I've come in with a slight chip lead over second place. I'd like to say it was my skill, but I think I'm a pretty lucky Omaha player right now. Top three places pay...
I'm dealt 3h, 2c, 4c, Jc in a late position. Everyone folds to me and I call the big blind of 500. The small blind folds and the big blind checks. The flop comes A-2-2. I'm not sure the flop could have been much better for me. I've got the golden low draw and a set of deuces. The BB checks and I bet 500, he calls. The turn is an 8, that completes my low. He checks, I bet 1000, he calls. The river is the J of spades, and that puts three spades on the board. That also fills my boat! He checks, I bet 1000, he calls, and shows the nut flush. Well, it would have been the nut flush except for my boat! With the high and low, I take a 7600T pot.
A little later, I'm dealt Ad, Kc, Jc, 7s and I decided to force a small stack all in. When the flop comes 3-4-5, his A-2 beats my high and low. Not even the K's on the turn and river help me. I lose about 2000T.
Next I'm dealt 3h, 6h, 7h, Qs in the big blind. Only the small blind calls, and I check. The flop is 3s, 5h, 9h. I've actually got an inside straight flush draw. And when the 8h comes on the turn, it's complete. I actually thought I was about to knock the other player out of the tourney, but he got the low and we split the pot.
A little later, my poor Omaha play rears its ugly head. I'm dealt Ad, 5d, 9s, 10c. I like playing Ace flush draws. There are six players left, and four of us see the flop. It's a flop that really doesn't hit me well: 4c, 5c, 10s. I do have top two pair, but that's fools gold in Omaha. Three of us stay for the turn, and it's the 2d. I'm still got top two pair, and a bit of a low draw. At this point, the other two players are forced all in, and I think, "What the hell" and call. The river is the 6d. The player I thought I put out last hand rakes a huge pot when his A-3 gives him the high and low. I never should have called those last bets. Hell, I should have been in the hand.
Next I'm dealt Ah, 4h, 4c, Qd. The flop gives me a set: Tc, 4s, 2s. I'm betting pretty strong when the turn brings the 5h. Apparently my strong betting was enough to scare the other two players away, and I take a 3500T pot. At this point, I'm at about 10,000T and in 2nd place out of 5 remaining players.
Then I knock out a short stack who's all-in preflop. My K-high flush beats his small flush. And we're down to 4, and I'm still in second. Soon, we're down to three and I'm in the money! It didn't take long for the big stack to knock out third place, and we're down to two. It's the same player I thought I knocked out with the straight flush earlier. He's got a pretty big stack advantage over me.
I made a bit of a comeback on this hand. I'm dealt 2c, 3s, 4h, Jh. He raises the blind and I call. The flop is Qc, 6d, Ad. That's perfect for my low draw, so I'm going to get all my money in the pot and hope to catch the high, too. The turn is the 2d, which completes my golden low and the river is the 5c which gives me a straight. That puts me back at about 10,000T. He's got a 2.5-1 chip lead.
The last hand was pretty similar. I couldn't get the history for it for some reason, but I was on the gold low draw, but it didn't come and I had nothing for the high. I'm not sure my heads up strategy is good in Omaha, but that's my first experience with it. Either way, my $5 investment brought me $46. I'll take it.
