Ledger vs Rash play the same PLO flop two different ways
Same hand dealt to both of them in a walkthrough. Same flop. Vikram checks and plans three streets ahead. Rashad bets pot and plans to figure out the rest later. We let them defend it.
The Ledger
This flop hits too many hands in a realistic range for me to build the pot with something that's only good, not great. Checking keeps the pot manageable while I find out what I'm actually up against — PLO punishes hands that look strong and aren't the nuts.
Rash
It punishes hands that check and let three other players catch up to a big draw for free even harder. I'm betting pot specifically because this flop is scary — I want to make everyone with a small piece of it pay full price to find out if they're good.
The Ledger
Charging a full price bet also lets a real wrap raise you off the pot immediately, at a size where folding is expensive and calling is worse. You've turned a decent hand into a coin flip against exactly the range you were trying to scare off.
Rash
A coin flip I'm choosing to take with initiative, position, and fold equity on my side. Your line gives up all three of those for information that a bet would've gotten you just as fast, minus the part where I might just take the pot down right there.
The Ledger
Taking the pot down right there against players who'd have folded a worse hand to a smaller bet isn't a win, it's an overpay. I'd rather find that out with a check than pay a premium to find it out with a bet.
Rash
You'll find it out either way. I'll find it out with a bigger pot when I'm actually ahead, and a smaller loss when I'm not — that asymmetry is the whole reason to bet.
Watch enough PLO flops on NUTS POKER and you'll see both lines cash in the exact same spot on different nights. Neither expert has updated their opinion once.
