Overestimating the Value of AA
Omaha Eight-or-Better: Overestimating the Value of AA
By Annie Duke
Perhaps because the best hand in Omaha 8/b is AA23 double suited
most players greatly overestimate the value of having AA in their
hand. AA can make top set but Aces also play for low meaning that
you are guaranteeing one piece to a low board when you flop a set.
Because of this the aces have some of the same drawbacks as deuces
through eights. Of course, being able to flop top set mitigates
these drawbacks, but this still needs to be taken into account.
Because of this, when you play AA you need to have some other feature
to your hand-suited cards, other connecting low cards (AA34) or
connecting high cards (AAKQ). AA78 is actually a hand that you can
throw away from early position and you should never call a raise
with unless you are in the big blind. With this hand you have no
good low features and no suits. The only feature is AA so really
you are either hoping that your one pair will stand up, which rarely
happens in Omaha 8/b, or that you will flop a set, which is a) less
likely to stand up in Omaha 8/b than hold'em and b) increasing the
likelihood that you are only gunning for half the pot by putting
an Ace out there.
Unless you are raising out of steal position, limping in in the
small blind or playing out of the big blind you should never play
this hand.
Dec 19, 2003 by Annie Duke
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