Hold'em with Holloway, Vol. 120: Parlaying PLO Win Into Borgata Poker Open Tournaments

Chad Holloway
PR & Media Manager
4 min read
Chad Holloway Borgata

For the past two weeks, I've called the Borgata in Atlantic City home as PokerNews live reported the 2019 Borgata Poker Open. While there I not only witnessed some interesting hands — such as the double check-raise discussed in last week's column — but also got involved in a few myself.

Running It Twice in PLO

Despite the title of this column, I thought I'd take a moment to relate a hand I played at Borgata in a $5/$5 pot-limit Omaha cash game. I was sitting with around $1,100 and got involved in a hand against a player — let's just call him "the villain" — sitting with around $1,000.

A player raised to $25 from early position and the villain called next to act. Another player called from late position and I looked down at K10J10 in the small blind. I called and it was four-way action to the AQ8 flop.

"I certainly hadn't expected the villain to pot it, but I wasn't about to back down."

While the flop didn't hit me directly, it was great for me with the straight wrap and Royal Flush draw. I checked with the plan of check-raising after one of my opponents bet, which at this table was almost assured.

Indeed, the original raiser continued for $75 and the villain responded by raising the size of the pot. The late-position player folded and action was back on me. I certainly hadn't expected the villain to pot it, but I wasn't about to back down with my hand. I repotted, the original raiser folded, and the villain got it in.

He didn't show his hand, but asked if I'd prefer to run it once or twice. Given I was on a draw, I was inclined to run it twice figuring I'd find an out at least once.

First Run: 10x turn and 3x river
Second Run: Jx turn and 6x river

I made neither the Royal Flush nor the diamond flush, but it was just as good as I made Broadway on both runouts to scoop the pot. I'm not sure what my opponent held, but it's safe to say he had flopped a set of some sort.

It was a nice $2,100-plus win and reinforced my belief that in PLO you have to pursue your nut draws aggressively.

Tripping Myself Up on the Turn

Corbin Avery
Corbin Avery

I used some of my PLO winnings to play a couple of tournaments, including Event #7: $230 Deep Stack, an event that drew 292 runners.

In Level 2 (100/200/200), Corbin Avery raised to 500 from the hijack and Donald Williams called from the button. I was in the small blind with 109 and just called, which prompted the player in the big blind to come along.

The 992 flop gave me trips and I checked it. The player in the big blind did the same and Avery continued for 700. Williams just called and I had a decision to make.

Clearly I wasn't folding, so should I just call or raise? The flush draw was scary, but so was the prospect of another player having the case nine with a better kicker.

"He kept the pressure on and something didn't add up to me."

Given it was early in the tournament and we were fairly deep, I opted to just call and see what the turn brought. The big blind then called as well and it was still four-way action to the turn, which was the 7.

It seemed like a safe enough card for me, and in hindsight, I think I should have shifted gears and led out to see where I was at. Instead, I checked it and so did the big blind. Much to my surprise, Avery bet again, this time making it 2,000.

He had exhibited strength from the get-go, but even with a big pocket pair like kings or aces, one might expect him to check the turn against three players, especially on a paired board. Instead, he kept the pressure on and something didn't add up to me.

Chad Holloway
Chad Holloway in 2019 Borgata Poker Open action

Williams called, and I decided to play it cautiously by just calling again. That inspired the big blind to call as well, taking us to the A river. With three others players in the hand, it was apparent to me that at least one of them had a flush draw, so at this point, I was done with the hand.

I checked and the big blind bet 2,000. Avery then raised to 5,000 and Williams called, I quickly folded and the big blind called with what turned out to be K6 for an ace-high flush. Williams mucked (he later claimed to have a flush as well), while Avery rolled over 7x7x for sevens full of nines to win the pot.

I was suspicious of his turn bet, but it made sense upon seeing his cards. Had I went for the check-raise on the flop there's a good chance I could've gotten him to let it go, though I'm sure I'd have gotten action from either one or both of the flush draws. That said, I likely would have fired bigger on the turn, which might've allowed me to pick it up then and there.

The hand was a reminder that offense and aggression will win more pots than playing defense.

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Chad Holloway
PR & Media Manager

PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, Podcast host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.

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