Harringtons books have definately helped my tournament play.

How? I now observe the players (who have read the books) making moves, when their Q or M are dropping and have had the table folded to them. My SB, BB and button play has now become alot more brave to play back at them or extract max value from hands as I know their raising hands have increased in range.

I play in casinos/private games in the North West where a live straddle is allowed from any position.  I mostly play dealers choice where in the flop games (omaha/O8) the late postion straddle can definately be a +EV play.

In these games a strong hand will not raise from early position as much as in hold em as no hands are as big a favourite then big pairs are in texas.

I'm presuming, in Luton and other casinos, only the UTG has 1st option to straddle and so on. I take it you don't allow the late position or button straddle that i'm used to?

I have no problem with the single live straddle from UTG. The advantage is to act last preflop.

In Texas say you've got a reputation as a gambler or just plain aggressive the advantages are huge. Most players with semi-strong hands will call and wait to call or reraise if the UTG straddler is known to pop the pot up when given the option.

The pay offs for UTG player when he has a monster pre-flop are huge.
Most other players will call preflop believing UTG is just being aggressive. In PL games it enables UTG straddler to raise to maximum value preflop which under normal play would only be 3.5x BB. If another player with a medium pair tries to isolate the straddler with a reraise they could lose all their chips thinking they are going heads up against a gambler when really they are a 4 to 1 dog.

If UTG player only has a small pair or suited connector, the straddle means they can usually see a flop cheap against a big hand that has elected to wait for the straddler to raise. So the straddler can play these hand that usually should be played in late postion and may flop a hand which a slow played big hand may not be able to get away from.

Again straddles allowed where I play in the North West. If private game then usually agreed that only one live straddle UTG allowed, but in the bigger games can be more.

I find in DC that it can influence the choice of game as I sometimes choose stud hi/lo or razz as the low card brings in and no straddle can be placed by the aggressive players.

This is why i've stopped playing cash games as few sit down with 200BB and therefore is difficult to get full value for draws.

I find in PL,position and quailty of hands in that order are so much more important when the pot can become so big. I'd rather play a big high wrap then have a dodgy low draw with nut flush draw out of position.

The biggest mistake in this hand though was limping UTG blind!! You might as well have put out a straddle giving you the option to act last preflop.

Ali Mallu busts S. Patel with 8 4 off.  And Patel had , spiking a set and seeing a straight come as if from nowhere to send him to the rail.  Mallued.

Hello,

My first post on your site here. Had to considering I'm now famous as the infamous recipient of your hand of the week by the 'Great Ali Mallu'. The sickening part of the hand was that i actually held the  to give myself a flush draw after I spiked a set.  Being on the SB Ali had been moving all in on me from the BB whenever i showed weakness and often stealing my BB with a big raise from UTG.

Did I try and play the hand too clever, I don't know? But a definite case of playing the player and not the hand. A big bet by me before the flop or on the flop would've taken down the hand.

Not bad for a single buy in £25 super sat seat, but not when i had bubbled twice on line on blue sq!!