There
are many reasons to consider learning/playing the wonderful
game of Omaha. Here are a few...
More $$$!!!
Primo #1 reason = Higher Win Rates (more $$$!!!) A typical/good
Holdem player makes 1-2 big blinds/hour. A good Omaha player
can make 2-3 times that. If you’re a low/micro limit
player, you should have no prob raking in 5-6 bb’s p/hr.
Easy to
Learn
Many people think Omaha is a complex game… It’s
not. Omaha is a simple game based on hand values and good
draws. Reading opponents, bluffing and complex post-flop decisions
(as often encountered in a game like Texas Holdem) are often
inconsequential.
Less Variance
= Smaller BR
Omaha games produce less variance (especially the Eight or
Better split pot variant.) So, to be fully bankrolled in Omaha
requires only about 40-50% of the funds for an equivalent
Hold'em Game.
Bonus
Whoring
If you’re into bonus whoring (taking advantage of the
bonus offers made by online poker sites) you’ll definitely
want to look into Omaha (because of the two aforementioned
reasons; Less Variance & Smaller BR requirements.)
It’s
Fun
Many poker players were drawn to the world of poker because
of Texas Holdem. They’ve stuck with Holdem and never
tried anything else. Well, I’m here to tell ya, if you’re
one of those players, you’re missing out. Omaha is an
action game that provides some tasty brain food and of some
tasty profits (which = more fun!)
2- Introduction: Omaha 101
Omaha
game play is similar to Holdem. There are small/big blinds
and there are four betting rounds; preflop, on the flop, the
turn and the river. The big difference between Omaha and Holdem
is: you’re dealt four hole cards instead of two. You
must use exactly two cards from your hand and exactly three
cards from the (five card) board to construct your five-card
poker hand.
Variations
on a theme:
There are two versions of Omaha: Omaha High and Omaha Hi-Lo
Eight or Better (a split pot game.) In Omaha High, the objective
is to make the highest ranking five card poker hand. In the
Eight or Better variant, you can win with the highest or lowest
hand (and/or both!) An 8/b low hand must contain five cards
with a rank of eight or lower. For example: A-2-3-5-6 would
be a very good low hand (note: straights & flushes do
not count against you when qualifying a low hand.)
Omaha
can be played Limit, Pot Limit &/or No Limit (NL Omaha
is not for the weak hearted!) FYI: My game of choice is Pot-limit
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known PLO8.)
3- Starting Hands
Omaha
a nuts game; you have to be nuts to play it and you need to
be playing with the nuts to win. More often than not, you’ll
need to showdown the best hand and most of the time that hand
needs to be the stone cold nuts (especially in low/micro limit
games.) If you’re gonna make the best hand, it helps
if you start with the best hand. So, of all the decisions
you’ll make when playing Omaha, the most important is
what hands you play before the flop. Here’s the key
to good starting hands: You’re looking for 4 cards that
work together. Connecting cards, suited cards and double pocket
pairs are all combinations that give you a good chance to
pick up a pot.
Here’s
an example of a good, coordinated Omaha hand: Jc-Tc-9h-8h.
This hand has a myriad of combinations: The J-T, J-9, J-8,
T-9, T-8, and 9-8 all complete a number of potential straights.
If you flop two pair with this hand, you will either have
a made straight or an open ended draw to one. The hand also
contains two double suited combos which give you flush possibilities
(though, you should always be careful when playing non-nut
flushes.) This is the type of hand you really want: one that
can hit a lot flops.
Danglers:
If three of your four cards work together, the fourth / odd
card is a dangler and that’s a bad thing. Example: if
your hand is K-Q-J-2, the deuce is your dangler. Top Omaha
players muck most hands containing a dangler…and you
should too.
Top starting
hands for Omaha and 08/b
Omaha
High starting hands
A-A-J-10
double-suited is generally considered to be the best starting
hand in Omaha high. A-A-K-K double-suited is another ‘big-un.’
Here’s a list of some more quality hands (all of which
become more powerful when “suited”.) A-A-Q-Q,
A-A-J-J, A-A-T-T, K-K-Q-Q, K-K-J-J, K-K-Q-J, J-J-T-T, Q-Q-K-T,
Q-Q-J-J, 8-9-T-J, Q-Q-J-T, A-A-X-X, K-K-Q-T, K-K-J-T another
good hand is the ‘middle run-down’ such as: 5-6-7-8,
or 8-9-T-J
Omaha
Hi-Lo 8/b Starting Hands
The best starting hands in Omaha high-low are A-A-2-3 double-suited
followed by A-A-2-4 double-suited. These hands are strong
because they can be played for both high and low (which gives
you a good chance of scooping the whole pot.) Of course, being
suited (or even better, double-suited) adds value to every
hand. Here’s a list of some more good O8/b starting
hands: A-A-2-x, A-A-3-x, A-A-4-5, A-2-3-x, A-2-K-K, A-2-Q-Q,
A-2-J-J, A-3-4-5, A-2-K-Q, A-2-K-J, A-2-x-x (suited Ace) A-A-x-x,
A-3-K-K, 2-3-4-5
4- AA
I originally
had this “AA” section as a subset of “Starting
Hands” but, I think the topic is important enough to
warrant its own section. Bobby Baldwin said it best: “More
money has been lost with a pair of Aces than has been won”
(quote from Baldwin’s Omaha chapter in Super System
2.)
AA is
a tricky hand in Omaha, especially when you’re playing
it without backup (coordinated cards that help the hand.)
Unlike Holdem, where Aces often hold up on their own, Aces
generally need to improve to win in Omaha. So, ideally, you
want at least one of the aces coordinated with another card.
Either suited for a flush (As-4s-Ad-9d) and/or connected to
other cards for a straight (A-A-K-Q) If your AA hand does
not contain extra outs, you should be very cautious if you’re
going to play them.
If you’re
going to play A-A-X-X (an AA hand without ‘backup’)
you should be looking to play pots heads-up, either via a
pot raise in position or a pot re-raise out of position. If
you can't manage one of these scenarios its best to limp before
the flop, then check/folded if/when the flop misses (which,
considering you’re drawing to two outs, will be most
of the time.)
5- Position
As with
most forms of poker, your position (in relation to the dealer/button)
is very important. The advantage of position is an advantage
of information; you get to see who bets and who checks (and
who raises) before it is your turn to act. Good position also
allows you to be more liberal with your starting hand selection
as well as the hands you choose to draw with.
Omaha
sucks you into playing more hands and the more hands you play
from early position the more hands you are going to lose.
In late position you have a lot more power and can play more
hands, make more moves, get more value from your strong hands,
etc. Many people will tell you position is less important
in Omaha: I disagree. Position is very important, even more
so in pot limit games.
6- Drawing
Omaha
is a game of draws and those draws will make ya or break ya.
Here’s the golden rule: If you’re gonna chase,
chase the nuts or don’t chase at all. Bad draws can
be VERY expensive… Here are a few guidelines:
Don't
chase straights that are not the nuts - Even if you make them
you could lose to higher straights.
Don't
draw for straights or flushes when the board is paired.
If/when
you flop a set, be aware, you’ll probably need to fill
up (to a full house) to win the hand. Straights/Flushes and
Boats are winning Omaha hands… 3 of a kind is low on
the food chain.
Keep your
eyes open for back-door draws: for example you have the straight
and a backdoor flush draw as well (you could be free-rolling
your opponent.)
7- Flop - Turn - River
The Flop
is the defining moment in Omaha, when those three cards hit
the felt, 7/9ths of your hand is revealed. After the flop,
you should count/compare the pot to the number of outs you
have and then determine if it is profitable to draw. When
you hit the flop hard, play aggressive. Example; if you flop
top pair with a flush draw and an inside straight draw. You
should bet/raise to force your opponents out and give your
hand a better chance to win (and win more $$$!)
The Turn
often plays itself. You usually know whether you are winning
or have a good draw to a winning hand and you can bet, call,
raise or fold accordingly. Here are a few basic rules for
turn play: *If you have a strong hand: BET IT! (Free cards
are a no-no) *You should fold if there are three suited cards
on the board and you do not have the flush. *It is best to
fold if there is a pair on the board and you do not have trips
or a full house. *You should fold if there is a potential
straight on the board and you do not have a good draw for
a better hand. *If you have the stone-cold-nuts, and are in
a multiway pot with aggressive players, you should (usually)
attempt a check-raise.
The River
plays much like the turn; it should be fairly obvious if your
hand is good (If you don’t have the nuts… it’s
probably not good.) Here’s a good river rule: if you
can’t raise, don’t call. This rule definitely
applies to overcalls (calling a bet after someone else has
called before you.)
8- Raising
Raising
preflop: Before raising, the first thing to do is determine
your objective. As in most poker games, there are a few reasons
to raise preflop;
1) To
get more money in the pot
2) To eliminate opponents
3) To be the aggressor
4) To gain information
5) To get position (by encouraging players behind you to fold)
6) To steal the blinds.
If you’re
playing pot Limit, and wish to raise, a pot size bet is typically
your best option (especially in the early stages of the hand;
preflop/flop.) When you have the best hand, you want to thin
the field and/or make your opponent pay the maximum price
to make his draw.
Raising
in early position with a premium hand is not always the best
choice. It’s often best to limp and invite everyone
into the hand – then, hopefully get a raise from another
player, which allows you to reraise to thin the field and/or
build a nice pot.
If you’re
in late position and there are a couple of limpers in front
of you, then you should raise your quality hands in order
to build the pot.
9- Notes on O8/b
The following
info deals with the unique qualities found in the Eight or
better split pot version of Omaha (my favorite game of the
all the Omaha varieties.)
Low hands
As mentioned earlier; half the pot goes to the person with
the highest hand & the other half goes to the person with
the lowest (qualifying) hand. I assume you understand the
basic high hand rankings (a flush beats a straight, etc) but
I want to take a sec and discuss the rankings of low hands
(a confusing subject that often causes beginners to lose money.)
To discern
the lowest hand, compare the highest card of each five-card
hand first, then the second-highest card, and so on until
one hand is lower than the other. So, 7-6-4-3-2 beats 8-5-3-2-A
& 8-6-5-3-2 beats 8-7-3-2-A. Remember to count from the
top down. Any 7-low beats any 8-low, even if it is 7-6-5-4-3
vs. 8-4-3-2-A. Note: Straights and flushes do not count against
you when constructing low hands. So, 5-4-3-2-A (a wheel) is
the best low hand possible. If all five cards are the same,
the low hands split the low half of the pot (this is known
as ‘getting quartered’… and it sucks.)
Counterfeiting
Your hand is said to be counterfeited if you had the nut low
with an A-2, but then a 2 comes up ruining your nut low. Counterfeit
protection comes from having additional low cards, such as
a 3 or 4 with your A-2. This is very important property in
a hand and allows you to play your lows aggressively (knowing
there is no chance your hand will get destroyed by the river
card.)
Play
Tight
Because Omaha 8/b offers a variety of ways to drag a pot,
many beginners make the mistake of thinking the game can be
played quite loose. Don’t make that mistake. Omaha 8/b
is plays as tight (if not tighter) than Omaha high. Choose
your starting hands carefully.
Scooping,
Freerolls and 3/4ing
O8b is mostly a game of homeruns (homeruns you’ll hit
by playing quality cards.) You aren't looking to hit many
PLO8 doubles. You don't want to mix it up in a lot of pots.
You want to get out early, or be gladly shoving all your chips
in by the end.
Scooping
is your goal. Scooping means you win both the high and
low hands (and thereby: the whole pot.) Straight wraps and
suited aces are excellent scooping hands. High hands are also
excellent scooping hands! Many people avoid high-only hands
in Omaha-8 but this is a mistake. Sure, the flop will often
bring 3 low cards you will have to muck, but when the final
board consists of three or more high cards then there is no
low possible and you have excellent chances of scooping the
pot with a strong high hand. Beyond scooping, there are two
situations that provide the majority of your profits: the
freeroll and the 3/4.
Freerolling
means you are getting a free shot at your opponent's money.
Some freeroll examples:
Flop – Qs Jd Tc; You – As Ks Qc Jc Opponent –
Ac Kd 2h 3s
Flop - 3s 4d 5c; You – As 2s 7c 8c Opponent –
Ac Kd 2h Qs;
In each
of these hands, the best your opponent can do is tie. You
can beat him (with flushes or full houses) but he cannot beat
you no matter what cards come on the turn and river. You will
get action from most opponents who hold these hands... especially
from bad players who will often intentionally go for all their
chips.
3/4ing
is another ideal situation that usually occurs when two people
both have the nut low and one (ideally you) also has the high;
the player with high & low gets 3/4 of the pot (almost
as good as scooping.)
10- Common Omaha Mistakes
For step
#10, I’m gonna list 10 common mistakes. I’d suggest
rereading this section until the info has a permanent home
in your grey matter.
#1: Misreading
the board: before you put a lot of money into a pot, check
and double check the hand you think you have (especially when
playing for low in O8/b.) Here’s a list of a few common
beginner mistakes: #1) If there are four cards of a suit on
board and you have one of that suit in your hand: You do not
have a flush. However, if you have two cards of the suit in
your hand, you do have a flush. #2) If there’s three
of a kind on board, you only have a full house if you have
a pair in your hand (remember, you must use exactly two cards
from your hand) #3) Four cards to a straight on board: You
only have the straight if you can use two cards from your
hand to make it. #4) Beware of ‘counterfeited’
lows when playing 8/b: If you have A-3-K-Q and the flop is
2-4-7, then you have the nut low. If a 3 hits the turn (and/or
river) you’ve been ‘counterfeited.’ Your
low is no good and it’s time to muck
#2: Playing
too many hands
#3: Drawing
for 2nd best hands: Drawing for non-nut flushes, the bottom
end of straights and drawing for straights and/or flushes
when the board is paired are all good ways to lose money.
Chase the nuts… or don’t chase.
#4: Overplaying
A-A-X-X: Hands like A-A-8-9 rainbow should be played very
carefully (especially in loose games.) If you’re going
to play this hand, do it in late position… get in cheap
(and be prepared to check/fold if/when you miss the flop.)
#5: Playing
too many hands
#6: Being
Greedy (O8b tip) Omaha 8/b often requires cooperative betting.
Raising and re-raising just because ya have the nuts isn’t
always the best course of action. If you have a multiway pot
with an obvious loser stuck in between two winning hands,
you should think about how you can use cooperative betting
(between high and low hands) to extract bets from players
in the middle.
#7 Going
on tilt. You will get suckouts, and plenty of them (especially
@ the low/micro levels) Emotional Control is very important
#8: Raising
low hands when HU: in a heads-up pot, if all you have is the
nut low, just flat call. Raising will not get your opponent
out, and you have no chance to win more than half the pot
(*this rule does not apply to multiway pots, where it is often
correct to raise your nut low.)
#9: Playing
too many hands
#10: Joining
the wrong game: This is a tip for online players. There’s
nothing worse than putting all your $$$ in on a nut low…
only to find out you’re playing Omaha high (I’m
speaking from experience… an experience I’ve had
more than once!) When playing online, be sure to check and
double check the type of game you’ve joined.
11- Location Location Location
The most
important decision that affects how much money you can win
(or how much you’re likely to lose) is table/game selection.
As with most poker games, your profits come from opponents
who make mistakes. So, you must find a table where the majority
of the people make more mistakes than you do. If you find
that table you will probably win and if you don't find it,
you will probably lose (fortunately, mistake ridden Omaha
games are plentiful)
Here are
some common mistakes to look for:
*People
who play junk hands
“ who play too many hands
“ who never fold (or always raise)
“ who draw to non-nut hands
*People who play well!
Best online
sites for Omaha games
PokerStars has the best Omaha action. They offer a wide variety
of well populated games/limits and they also offer a superb
selection of Omaha tourneys. Many Omahalics play at Party
Poker, but I can’t stand that place (I won’t play
@ Party unless I’m working off a bonus) so, PokerStars
gets my vote for the best place to play Omaha.
You’ll
also find a decent selection of Omaha games at: Absolute Poker,
Ultimate Bet, Poker Room, Bo-Dog & Full Tilt (most of
these sites also host a limited variety of Omaha tourneys.
12 – Further Learning
I’ve
only scratched the surface of Omaha. If you’re really
interested in bettering your game (and your bankroll) you’ll
want check out some other resources. Here’s a list of
some good books:
•
Hi-Lo-Split Poker for Advanced Players by Ray Zee
• Super System 2 (2 chapters on Omaha) Berman and
• Championship Omaha by T. J. Cloutier and Tom McEvoy.
• Omaha Holdem Poker: The Action Game by Bob Ciaffone
• How to Win at Omaha High-Low Poker by Mike Cappelletti
• Winning Omaha 8 Poker by Mark Tenner & Lou Krieger
I've also
posted many helpful Omaha links in this
forum thread:
The Omahalic’s Prayer
“God,
grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Article
by: Doug "Connjure" Conn
Doug is a full time poker pro who
represents the Online
Shark Satellite Tour
