PLO8 - what range of high-only hands are worth playing or raising? (1 Viewer)

[upNdown]

Partly inspired by another post, but more because I was doing a play money tournament and saw a guy raising fairly big pre with high only hands. And it seemed to be working out for him because he’d usually be able to isolate free. Of course, that was on PokerStars weird no limit O8, so that’s a different story.
So given that there’s only a low 60% of the time, it seems to me that the causal “ace only” player is missing a lot of opportunities with good high only hands. Whether to limp or raise is a related question. And I’m sure position should be a factor.
But anyway, as for hands that have no low possibility:

I’m thinking that any aces and any kings are probably worth playing? Obviously their value increases if they’re suited or wrappy. I have to think that any double suited Broadway wrap is worth playing. Is it worth playing queens or jacks if they’re suited or vaguely connected? I feel like a jack high flush could end up screwing you as often as it would help in this game.

 

[Rhodeman77]

I like playing KK108 hands more than AAJ9 type high only hands for simple reason that when you flop a set of Kings with another high card the chances of a low coming in a lot less. Flopping a set of aces means a low draw is likely, or if it comes with 2 high cards there is a good possibility of Broadway already. The aces need to boat up more or they end up chopping a lot more than the Kings do.

 

[Jimulacrum]

The key thing is that it has to be a high hand that expects to win hands where there will be no low. As @Rhodeman77 mentions, KKxx types of hands tend to be more valuable to that end than AAxx hands because you can flop the set without contributing to potential lows. (I assign less value to straights here because it's Omaha and straights tend to chop or get outdrawn.)

The only real value I find in hands like this is being able to catch top set / top boat, so basically AAxx, KKxx, and QQxx hands—and generally I'll want to take it multi-way so there's a substantial pot to win from all the low chasers. Maybe JJxx if it's short-handed and/or I'm feeling frisky. Anything less and you're looking to make donations with an underboat or split with a low too often.