Final-Table Takedown -- Daniel Alaei

Daniel Alaei, from Los Angeles, California, is primarily a high-stakes cash-game player. He began playing big buy-in tournaments in 2004, and since then has captured two World Series of Poker bracelets and won more than $2.5 million in tournaments. He also has appeared on GSN’s High Stakes Poker.

Craig Tapscott: What edges are you looking to exploit in Omaha eight-or-better?

Daniel Alaei: Well, unlike no-limit hold’em, limit hands, particularly Omaha eight-or-better, don’t share too much “excitement.” That doesn’t mean they aren’t interesting; it just means that your edge comes in your starting-hand selection, as well as in recognizing table dynamics (stack sizes, the blinds, payouts, and so on).

CT: Sounds good.

DA: This was a tough final table, with Daniel Negreanu, Annie Duke, Scott Clements, and some lesser-known players who play very well.

Key Concepts: Opening hand ranges; proper hand selection; knowing when to stick with your hand or fold it.

Alaei raises from middle position to 40,000 with the A 3 4 8. Negreanu defends from the big blind.

CT: Can you share the types of hands with which you are looking to open pots?

DA: Basically, the most important thing in Omaha eight-or-better is starting-hand selection. You don’t want to be in there with trap hands, as you will very often see yourself with a mediocre high draw and a mediocre low draw on the flop, which can become very costly. If you play good cards, you will usually have good draws.

CT: And low suited connectors?

DA: You want to stay away from the middle cards. Hands like 3-4-5-7 and 4-5-6-8, suited or not, can prove to be very costly, especially in a fuller game. Most of the hands you will be playing will have either A-2 or A-3 in them. Having a suited ace, or a third wheel card including an ace, significantly increases the value of your hand. All high hands are generally playable, as well (10-J-Q-K, Q-Q-J-J, and so on).

CT: What are some of the mistakes that novice players make preflop?

DA: The biggest mistakes that players who are new to Omaha eight-or-better make are in starting-hand selection and drawing to the second-best hand. A lot of times, you will get a little piece of the high and a little piece of the low. An experienced player knows when to continue with these hands and when to set them free before the damage is done.

Flop: J 9 4 (pot: 90,000)

DA: At this point, I felt Daniel would have led out if he had a high hand, but …

Negreanu checks.

DA: So, I went ahead with a standard continuation-bet with my pair of fours and backdoor-low draw.

Alaei bets 20,000. Negreanu calls.
Turn: 6 (pot: 130,000)
Negreanu bets 40,000. Alaei calls.

CT: What’s your read?

DA: I thought there was a good chance that he picked up two pair here and didn’t want to risk giving me a free card, so he went with the lead-out bet. However, Daniel is a very good player who balances his play well, so you can’t really be too sure of what he has.

River: 5 (pot: 210,000)

DA: The 5 on the river gives me the second-nut low (A-3) and a pair of fours.

Negreanu bets 40,000. Alaei calls. Negreanu reveals the A 3 4 6, tying for the low and winning the high with two pair, fours and sixes; he takes three-fourths of the pot, 217,500. Alaei wins one-fourth of the pot for the tied low hand, 72,500.

DA: This is a pretty standard hand, but I think it can provide some insight into the game for players who are somewhat unfamiliar with it.

Key Concepts: Pot control; developing accurate reads.

Boyd raises to 100,000 from the cutoff. Alaei calls from the big blind with the A 4 6 10.

CT: What are the major keys to play after the flop?

DA: You want to have an idea of what kind of hands your opponent plays before the flop, so that you can get a feel for how he is drawing after the flop.

Flop: 9 5[[suit:diamond] 2 (pot: 225,000)

CT: Nice flop.

DA: Yes. This gives me the nut flush and the second-nut-low draw.

Alaei checks. Boyd checks.

CT: Is it ever correct to lead with your hand in this spot?

DA: The preflop raiser will usually bet in a heads-up pot, so I elected to go for the check-raise. When he checked behind, I felt that his hand had some value, but was nothing he wanted to put too much money into the pot with.

Turn: K (pot: 225,000)
Alaei bets 100,000. Boyd calls.

River: 6 (pot: 425,000)
Alaei bets 100,000. Boyd calls, and reveals the A 6 4 2 to win one-fourth of the pot — 156,250 — for tying for the low hand. Alaei wins 468,750 for tying for the low hand and winning the high hand with an ace-high flush.

DA: I think he played his hand well by controlling the size of the pot by checking the flop, and the turn and river played pretty standardly.

CT: Again, what can new players learn from how this hand played out?

DA: Ben recognized that he had a weak high hand and a draw to only the second-best low hand, so he correctly put the minimum amount of money into the pot. I don’t think it would be correct for him to fold his hand at any point.

Key Concepts: Aggression, and running well (when you run well, it’s an easy game).

Clements raises from the small blind to 100,000. Alaei reraises to 150,000 with the K K 7 6. Clements calls.

CT: What’s the plan?

DA: I have a pretty powerful hand for a blind-versus-blind situation. My reasoning for reraising preflop was to gain the betting lead in position with what was likely the best hand.

Flop: Q 10 3 (pot: 300,000)
Clements bets 50,000. Alaei raises. Clements reraises. Alaei caps the action.

CT: Talk about this raising war and what it entails for future streets. He’s obviously got a big hand.

DA: I felt that he would lead out with a number of hands that hit that board, so I raised with my overpair and second-nut-flush draw. When he three-bet me, I wasn’t thrilled, but I put in the last raise anyway, since my hand was still very powerful.

Turn: 7 (pot: 700,000)
Clements bets 100,000. Alaei calls.

CT: What are you looking to accomplish here?

DA: Well, despite all the strength I showed preflop and on the flop, he still bet out into me. So, I’m assuming that he has my pair of kings beat. It’s a good thing that I still have a flush draw.

River: 9 (pot: 900,000)
Clements checks. Alaei bets 100,000. Clements calls. Alaei wins the pot of 1,100,000.

CT: This was a big hand for you at the final table.

DA: Well, Scott was a bit unlucky there, as he showed me Q-Q for top set. But yes, this hand was very important, because it completely changed the dynamics of the tournament. Up until that point, Scott was the chip leader, and this pot put me into the lead with some momentum. Fortunately, I was able to hold on to that lead and win the tournament.