Advice on a NEW GAME........(for me)......

[PatrickMcIrish]

I play in a home game once a week and it has been a nice experience for me through the years. They rake the hell out of the game but you can't find a better line-up. Well off that game there is a new one that has started and the only change is the betting structure. As an example in the old game you could bet between $5-40 on any card through the turn. On the river you can bet $5-80. It was unstructured Omaha but this one will be played differently.

This game is played where there is no checking. Ever. Let's say the first round is $20. After the flop it is $40, the turn and river is $60 and $80. The trick is you CAN NOT CHECK. The first guy to bet moves after each round but he must bet or get out. So after the flop the guy in front of the button bets but after the turn the next guy in the pot to his left has to go first. On the river the guy to his left and so on. The thing is you can not check to see what the others are doing in spots where you normally might. You must bet or fold. It's tough on you especially when you have to go first but are pretty sure you are beat. You have top pair but a DANGER card comes on the river. It would be nice to check and call here but you must bet $80 or get out, LOL. You know it's going to be raised if the guy hit his hand.

I would normally not even bother but this game is just loaded with guys who "just like to play". Wondering how big of an edge I am I giving up with this style of play. Anyone ever play anything like this before?

 

[Dante]

This sounds like fun...good luck with it pat!

I have been playing NL 25$ holdem at party poker..

I had pair K's I went all in..wouldn't you know the guy went all in had Ace's

oh well it is still FUN!

 

[theswami]

McIrish-

About 6 weeks ago I was invited to a new home game. Dealer's choice with very little casino type poker (HE, Omaha, etc.) being played.

One guy called a game, I forget which game (maybe follow the queen or baseball), but he modified it by adding the no checking rule.

My view is that if you are playing against weaker players than yourself then your edge is probably the same in a game like this BUT your VARIANCE may be a bit greater. Sure, you don't have as much information as you could normally get by checking and you may get bluffed out of a pot or two but if you are playing good poker, you will go in with the best of it and stay only when you are getting the correct odds or have a good hand.

In my game, the no checking game became a game where everyone bet since they HAD to see all the cards.

The only problem was that some of these guys actually would get the proper odds to draw at gut shots since the pots were huge. In your game I would probably do a ton of folding since a) I suck at Omaha and b) In Omaha you hands can go from the NUTS to CRAP with the turn of a card much faster than HE.

 

[PatrickMcIrish]

Yes I agree with that Swami. I think the fluctuance (variance) will be much greater. It is already high in the old game since we have guys who do nothing but stradde all night long. The more rules they come up with to "encourage' gambling the better they like it.

I like to play on the loose side of the tracks but to them I am the biggest rock in the world, LOL. If you play too tight they run you. Anyway just curious if ayone else had played something like this on a long term basis. I have scanned around and not seen much written on it. I don't like to play games I have little information on.

 

[areeff]

No checking? I find that silly personally. Checking is part of the game. It sounds like a bunch of guys who hate sandbagging to me. I can't find any other valid reason "Bet or fold" is dumb. You'd probably play just about anything reasonable on the button because of the huge positional advantage and fold most sb and probably any BB to a raise

 

[PatrickMcIrish]

Areef - being on the button is not a big deal here because the bet moves after each betting round. The guy to the left of the button starts off like he is suppossed to but after the flop the first guy is the one to his left. On the turn it moves over one more and so on. Often being on the button you are first to act by the time the river has come.

These guys just like action, that's all. LOL. I agree the no checking is a silly rule but it's worth it if you can figure out a way to use it to your advantage. In these games if you "only" play half the hands you are a stone rock to them, LOL.