Readers this week ask about the best starting hand in Omaha high-low, playing against celebrities and pros, and attitudes at the poker table.

Q: I enjoy your column in Heartland Magazine, a supplement to The State Journal-Register. At our neighborhood game, we argued over the best possible starting hand in Omaha high-low. I bet a guy $10 it's A-A-2-2 double-suited. We agreed to let you settle the bet. — Doug B. in Springfield, Ill.

A: Yikes, Doug. The pressure's on!

First, let me say that my knowledge of Omaha high-low (8 or better for a qualifying low) comes more from reading than from playing. It's a fun game, and I've won money at it, but I seldom play split-pot games and haven't tried Omaha-8 for a while.

I have, however, read many articles about Omaha-8 and several books, including "Championship Omaha" by T.J. Cloutier and Tom McEvoy, "High-Low-Split Poker for Advanced Players" by Ray Zee and "Farha on Omaha" by, of course, Sam Farha.

So, with that background for settling your bet, here's the answer:

The best Omaha-8 starting hand is not A-A-2-2 double-suited (sorry, partner). It's A-A-2-3 double suited. Even A-A-2-3 single-suited and non-suited are better than A-A-2-2. So are hands such as A-A-low-low, A-2-3-4 and A-2-3-K double-suited. (That last one is a Farha favorite.)

The key strength behind A-A-2-3 and the others mentioned is that starting with three or four low cards makes it much tougher for your hand to be counterfeited for low by the five board cards.

Sorry about the $10. Can we still be friends?!

Q: It's funny how poker players on TV automatically become "celebrities." How do you separate the celebrity from those you would like as mentors to improve your poker game? I'd rather sit next to a poker pro than a Hollywood celeb so I could test my skills. — Matthew, no hometown available.

A: You're onto something, Matthew. I agree that playing against pros can improve your game faster than playing with celebrities, but it also can be an expensive lesson.

Many people who enter big tournaments relish the thought of going up against the Phil Iveys and Chris Fergusons of the professional poker world. Sometimes they also get to battle a Norm Macdonald or Ben Affleck.

The tricks to playing well against a pro versus a celebrity are pretty simple: Against the pros you must avoid being intimidated and not fall victim to their expert ability to read your "tells." Against celebrities you must play your best game and never assume they are weak opponents.

Indeed, Affleck, actress Shannon Elizabeth, former baseball pitcher Orel Hershiser and a host of other celebrities have shown considerable skill at the poker table. They and many other amateurs could teach the rest of us a thing or two.

But elite pros have experience and a proven track record on their side. They're not easy to beat. Tournament hands I've won against Ferguson, Daniel Negreanu, Men Nguyen, John Juanda, T.J. Cloutier and other top pros are etched in my mind.

As you note, going up against the best players is a great test of skill and a true learning experience. It's also lots of fun!

Q: A recent LuckyDog column reminded me of a common dilemma facing all of us. How do we handle it when we get beat, even with a great hand? This question goes to one of the key issues of the game, namely that of attitude in poker. — Dave M. in Illinois Quad-Cities.

A: Given the unfortunate behavior of some high-profile players on television, I agree that players' demeanor is an important issue, Dave.

I like how you put it:

"Many players do not handle defeat well, and I tend to attribute this to an increasing level of arrogance and overconfidence, plus a mistaken sense of entitlement.

"What appears to be lacking, especially in these impatient, egocentric times, is the basic understanding that poker, no matter how skillfully played, is still, in some measure, a game of chance" that should be played "with a healthy dose of humor and good sportsmanship."

E-mail your poker questions and comments to russ@luckydogpoker.com for use in future columns. To find out more about Russ Scott and read previous LuckyDog Poker columns, visit www.creators.com or www.luckydogpoker.com.

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