Play a hand of Dramaha at Blades (1 Viewer)

[Phantom]

I initially didn't warm to Dramaha, but after 'practicing' numerous hands it has become a game I actually want to get better at. I think I do, not sure ...

How would people play the following hands preflop? Please refer to the number and if you would fold, or if you would play and what your are hoping for. @Jimulacrum

We will then play the hands out as we go.

Cheers,
Adam

 

[detroitdad]

1. call, keep A/J/J.
2. Pending action. I might raise. Keep 3, 4, 5, 6
3. fold
4. raise, keep a, 2, 3, 5
5. call, keep a, q, q
6. fold

With my holdings on each hand its pretty clear what I'm looking for

 

[Forty4]

Agree with above except I’m folding 4. Also what I do with the hand depends on the flop.

I don’t care for 4 because you’re not set up to have a good draw. Drawing to inside straight is not a great situation IMO. Depending on action and how the table is if I was later and limped around maybe.

 

[Jimulacrum]

I'll complete the SB with 1, but folding to a raise.

I'm playing 2 only if I can keep it cheap through the turn.

If it folds around to me with 5, I'll put in a raise, but it's a fold if someone else raises first.

All the rest are insta-folds.

 

[Psypher1000]

1 - Probably complete; probably won't call a raise. Would pitch the 2 and 7. Hoping to see lots A's and J's.
2 - Ooof...I'll try to play it. Not sure if I'm calling a raise (in all honesty, probably depends on the number of beers I've had). Pitch the 3 of spades. Hoping to see a black 7 back, and maybe lots of red in the community. I feel like this hand is a good way to lose some chips, but my gut says I probably couldn't lay it down until I see some more cards.
3 - Fold
4 - Fold
5 - Play and pitch the 5 and 10. Hoping to see lots of A's and Q's.
6 - Fold

 

[BGinGA]

I'll complete the SB with 1, but folding to a raise.

I'm playing 2 only if I can keep it cheap through the turn.

If it folds around to me with 5, I'll put in a raise, but it's a fold if someone else raises first.

All the rest are insta-folds.

Exactly ^this^. None of those hands are premium dramaha holdings, and most are money drains. Save your cash for better spots.

 

[Jimulacrum]

Exactly ^this^. None of those hands are premium dramaha holdings, and most are money drains. Save your cash for better spots.

This is one of the great things about Dramaha, though. Even though a good number of hands get dealt where cards as weak as 1, 2, and 5 are the top holdings, you still see most pots get played multi-way to the flop. Really, in cases like this, the hand shouldn't even make it to the flop more than once in a while.

Very rarely does every player have something worth playing; more often, they want to see the flop with any old hand just to see what happens. It's an interesting game with a lot of twists, to be fair. But those small pairs and ragged semi-coordinated cards will just lose lots of money over time, not only preflop, but later in the hand when they find themselves getting freerolled or worse.

 

[honkydevil]

Dont you discard on the flop? So wouldn’t the flop influence what you discard?

 

[Psypher1000]

So wouldn’t the flop influence what you discard?

Sure. These are simply pre-flop thoughts/plans. As we get more info then our plans may change.

 

[honkydevil]

Sure. These are simply pre-flop thoughts/plans. As we get more info then our plans may change.

Right on, I suppose it makes sense to be thinking 1 step ahead.

I’ll be curious to read everyone’s thoughts here.

 

[DrStrange]

Position matters a lot. All the hands are marginal to worse, but hand 5 is in better position. Hands 3 & 4 should fold. 5 should raise and likely end up heads up with hand 2 < which is dubious, hand 2 needs a cheap multiway hand. If the straight draw fails, the hand is very weak on the draw side and likely can only chop. > It would be reasonable to just take down the blinds here. The hands are not that good.

However, I could see this hand go multi-way like normally happens. We shall see what the flop brings.

 

[detroitdad]

I disagree with some of you guys saying to fold pre flop. Some of these hands have the potential to win big pots. In games like this. Flop discipline is one of the more important aspects of the game. Dra2maha is probably one of my favorite dealers choice games As a matter of fact I'm jonesing for some poker!

 

[Jimulacrum]

I don't have specific discard plans, but as a general rule, I'm discarding the black 3 in #1 and all but the pair in #2 and #5, unless the would-be discards smash the flop in some massive way. In the case of #1, that's nothing short of quads, and it's still only a so-so hand even if you flop quads.

Preflop, you should be looking at exactly two things: position and Draw strength. Ability to make a big Omaha hand is only a small consideration, as the Omaha side is extremely variable (and more variable the more cards you're pitching).

 

[BGinGA]

Personally, if you can't see a clear and realistic plan for how a given hand can win both the draw side and the Omaha side, imo it's an easy fold pre-flop. Only exception is when you have a strong made draw hand (guaranteeing half the pot), and are simply hoping to also smash the flop to scoop.

 

[Psypher1000]

As a matter of fact I'm jonesing for some poker!

It must be a day that ends in Y!

 

[Jimulacrum]

Personally, if you can't see a clear and realistic plan for how a given hand can win both the draw side and the Omaha side, imo it's an easy fold pre-flop.

This is one of the areas where I feel like most people really fail at split-pot games. You need to be drawing to both halves of the pot. Two-way hands aren't just a nice thing; they're usually the only hands worth playing.

As soon as you can see that your hand no longer has a chance at both halves, you need to either fold or go defensive, even if you have the nuts in Omaha. Only if it's an invulnerable or nearly invulnerable nuts that can't be duplicated should you be looking for action. Otherwise, your equity is less than 50% because you're less than a lock for only half the pot.

This type of decision will be presented to you preflop (Draw side) and on the flop (Omaha side) over and over again, so you'd better get good at it. The biggest mistakes you will make in this game will happen when you're drawing dead one way and getting freerolled.

 

[detroitdad]

It must be a day that ends in Y!

Not true. I wasn't jonesing for some poker yesterday.

Personally, if you can't see a clear and realistic plan for how a given hand can win both the draw side and the Omaha side, imo it's an easy fold pre-flop. Only exception is when you have a strong made draw hand (guaranteeing half the pot), and are simply hoping to also smash the flop to scoop.

I disagree. Half of a "high" only pot can be very rewarding. Especially if you can get a couple of people fighting for the low. Yes I know, this is Dramaha, but if you keep multiple players in until the river. Half a pot can be huge.

 

[BGinGA]

I disagree. Half of a "high" only pot can be very rewarding. Especially if you can get a couple of people fighting for the low.

There is no low in Dramaha, at least in the games I play. YMMV.

 

[Chippy McChiperson]

I'll complete the SB with 1, but folding to a raise.

I'm playing 2 only if I can keep it cheap through the turn.

If it folds around to me with 5, I'll put in a raise, but it's a fold if someone else raises first.

All the rest are insta-folds.

Please we all know you're raising every hand.

 

[detroitdad]

There is no low in Dramaha, at least in the games I play. YMMV.

right, I edited my response.

 

[Jimulacrum]

Please we all know you're raising every hand.

It's right there on page 14.

 

[detroitdad]

There is no low in Dramaha, at least in the games I play. YMMV.

Trying to answer from my phone. I should know better. I'm still a believer in playing one way hands if you can practice flop discipline.

 

[Jimulacrum]

Trying to answer from my phone. I should know better. I'm still a believer in playing one way hands if you can practice flop discipline.

If you are able to sneak in and make winning Omaha hands cheaply, then that may be a viable strategy. Your opponents must be making some huge mistakes to make it profitable. Whoever is ahead in Draw should be making you pay so dearly that it's not worthwhile to chase.