omaha, oh omaha

Limit Omaha. Is there a better tournament game out there? A game of cunning calculated risks and rewards. I played in a big one last night, 405 people. At the same time, played in a NLHE field of 1200. Now in the latter, I call a pre-flop raise of 5x with 89s on the button. Why? Because this is a good hand to take a chance with in position. Sure, there was only the blinds to follow, but I did it anyways. The flop was 78T giving me the open ended. the problem? The guy now went all in. Well, you start with $1500 in chips and I have about $1200 - $100 committed pre-flop. I decide to call and I hit the Jack on the turn. The guy is furious (he had QQ). But I said to him, How can you expect me to drop a chance to double up in level one when some guy (you) decides to push his entire stack in ON LEVEL ONE!? If I hit the draw, I double up which is important in large fields. You set up a condition where calling was just too tempting, correct odds or not.

Contrast this with Limit Omaha. Out of 405, I finish 18th. Ironically, leading most of the way until with 35 left, A player lost in the hand (has no idea he is behind) is ramming and jamming with two pair against my FLOPPED NUT FLUSH. So, knowing that he has at best 10 outs (his case card, or pairing the board on his non set card) I am re-raising. On the river, his 3 pairs and I check-cry call his now made boat. I finish 20th, only because I pulled up at the end. But man, he does not hit that river and I finish in the top 3 at worst. He went on to go out BEFORE me despite taking all those chips.