Omaha Hi/Lo

There are a few topics I want to touch base on that new players shouldn’t try till they get a grasp on the game. Also there are a couple tips in here that can be dangerous to a hand so they are to be avoided.

One thing that is very dangerous in Omaha is handing out free cards. By this I mean letting your opponent see what’s coming next without raising. It can also be very advantageous if you’re the one trying to draw to something as well. In these cases it’s often a good idea to raise with the second best hand. For example let’s say you’re chasing a straight and you have 6-7-9-T and the flop falls as 5-8-K. We’ll say you are the second person to act on a table of four. If the first player bets the best thing for you to do is re-raise. The reason in doing so is to eliminate your other opponents. This tactic might also get you a free card on the river which is a huge advantage. The concept behind this is that if you hit the top end of the straight you’ll be a favorite against one opponent, whereas you would be in trouble against three.

A problem many Texas Hold’em players run into is they get flushed. What this means is that a Queen high flush, which appears tempting to many Hold’em players, can be dangerous in Omaha. This is because a good player that is holding the ace to that flush could make a big re-raise on you knowing that you don’t have the nut flush and put you under severe pressure to make you fold. There is a good way to play a second or third best hand like this, but only if you’re in late position. If the board is coming around you can bet it and try to win it right there and then. If you get called you’re probably up against a set, however, if your opponent bets on the turn without the turn pairing the board, you’re probably behind. A little golden rule in Omaha is to never draw to a flush on a paired board.

Since I know a lot of Hold’em players see aces as golden, they should only be considered if they have a backup like a nut flush or a top straight draw. If you can get yourself into a heads-up situation pre-flop then you can play it from there. However, don’t get stuck in a pot with several players because you will most likely lose.

Finally you should try to be a master of disguise with your hands. A good example of this would be when you’re in late position to raise or re-raise when you have mid-ranged cards like 6h-7h-8c-9c. The reasoning behind this is because your hand will be well disguised. So that way if a mid ranged flop lands your opponents will be thinking you have higher cards from your strong pre-flop play. Also if an ace comes on the flop you can represent it with your strong pre-flop play as well. A major part of high level Omaha play is using betting to disguise your hand and to be able to figure out what your opponents’ hands are. For example if they see you as a check-raise type of player, then your checks will be more threatening to them and can enable you to get a free card. Since there’s no full proof way to play Omaha or any poker game take these strategies in these guides and apply them to your type of play. Find a way to play that you’re comfortable with and that’s profitable for you.