Splitting the pot

Anytime you jump into a new pool, you're going to be a fish at first.

I tried the sink-or-swim approach and dived into Omaha 8 without even knowing the rules.

It took a little while, but I learned a few things.

Omaha 8 or better is messed up. For those of you who don't know, it works similar to regular Omaha (four down cards, five community cards, and you may/have to use only two of your down cards.) The difference is that the Lo hand (straights and flushes excluded) scoops half the pot. But there is no Lo hand unless you can make it with a high card 8 or less.

I started out at 2/4 O8 on Party and quickly went down about $150 because I had no idea what I was doing. It took a few hours, but I made that money back at those same tables.

Then I left for this delicious dinner at my friend Heather's house down the street in El Centro of Santiago: bacon wrapped chicken, mashed potatoes, fruit bowls, lots of wine. I stuffed myself silly.

After dinner, I zoned out and thought about O8.

Most starting hands are shit. I looked for starting hands with an A and another low card so I'd have a chance of making the low. You also want pairs in your hand in hopes of making trips, and having double-suited hands are strong. It's rare when you see something less than trips scoop the Hi hand.

Making the Lo hand feels a lot like playing razz. You're praying that your low cards in your hand aren't neutralized by one of those same ones on the board; you wish that a third card that's 8 or less will come on the river to make a Lo hand possible. It's like drawing to a straight or flush, but it's slightly easier to make the hand.

It's a major coup if you can win the Hi and the Lo in the same hand. These pots get pretty big pretty fast because so many people are betting on two different developing hands.

Another thing: raising for value is very difficult because there are so many possibilities. I ended up only raising with very strong hands.

It always makes me money when people don't raise with the best hand on the river. Repeatedly, people would hold the nut Lo and just check/call the river. That's fine with me, but even if you're only going to win half the pot, I think you should raise in hopes that your opponent will either call and put more money in, or fold and give you the entire pot.

After dinner, I logged on to Poker Stars and sat at their Omaha 8 tables, which are 6 max at the 2/4 level. I liked that a bit less because you need multiway hands to build large pots and make a split pot worthwhile.

I lost about $65 on those tables, and then I had had enough.

"Fuck this," I thought. "I need to make some money."

So I sat at some NL$200 ($1/$2 blinds) and pretty quickly doubled up twice.

The first time I made two pair with KT vs. AK and moved in. Then later, a guy on tilt called my flop push with pocket rockets. He only had pocket fish hooks.

The HORSE tournament will be on Sunday on Full Tilt. It will combine games including Hold em, Omaha Hi/Lo, Razz, Stud and Stud Hi/Lo. Find out more information about it on the World Poker Bloggers Tour Web site.

Everyone who reads this should play! These events are tons of fun, and it's only a $5 buyin.

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