Starting Hands. Part 2

Hands with sequences

Example of hand with medium sequence: 9 ♠ 8 ♠ 7♣ 6♦.

Example of hand with top sequence: A ♣ K ♥ J ♣ T ♠.

Example of hand with youngest sequence: 6 ♦ 5 ♣ 4 ♠ 3♣.

Hands with sequences are very important in pot-limit Omaha.

If the sequence is young, such as 6-5-4-3, its suit will have value only when you play one on one. If you have several opponents who make raise and re-raise, then in such situations one of the opponents will have higher flush draw.

Sequence is a great "straddling" hand. If you have studied your opponents, and you know that one of them makes a raise on the aces, and the second calls on high suited connectors. Now they are both in play, and you're holding something like a 7-6-5-4. You think: "If on the flop come young or medium cards, then pot will be mine. So you can safely continue to play such hand. Although, if you have one opponent, you should not play with such cards. Playing one on one, you will not call a large raise, having such hand.

Suppose you have made two pairs on the flop and you know that your opponent plays with aces. You are a favorite. But as soon as on the flop came a pair (any pair, not yours), you will automatically lose. With these cards it is very dangerous to play.

Another category of playing hands with sequences is three cards and a pair (8-8-7-6, 7-7-6-5, 9-8-7-7, and so on).

If you know that you are playing against a top pair, and you made medium pair on the flop in addition to your straight draw, then at this point you are a favorite. If on flop comes your eight, it is likely that it will not be associated with high pairs of opponents, so that they can not make a straight (unless some back-door straight). So, almost any three-card sequence in combination with a pair may be very good playing hand. 

I said "almost", you should forget such combinations as 4-3-2-2. The danger lies in a possible situation "set against set", and usually it is impossible to make nuts straight on the flop with these cards. If you ever decide to play this hand, then only if you are on big blind and no one made a raise, or from late position, making the minimum call.