An Introduction to Omaha
Posted: 2007-10-30 09:39:09
It was not too long ago that Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) was the number one action game at most all tournaments. Before TV made NL Hold'em very popular in 2003, PLO was the big cash game being played every year in the side games.
I started playing PLO in a home game in Amarillo 18 years ago with the likes of 2 time PLO WSOP Champion Amarillo Slim, It was a $1 (on the button) $2, $5 blind game that could be brought in for $25, that played much bigger than it soundes as there was lots of action in that game. It didn't take long before I realised the better players where winning day in and day out. I had a strong passion to learn this game by asking tons of questions of these winning players.
Here is a little bit of what I learned in the beginning to help me become a profitable player:
Try and play 4 cards that work together and stay away from "danglers" like 456J
Try and always see a flop with a suited ace in your hand. 578 with ace suited is a good hand to see a flop because you are drawing to the nut flush, also if flop comes 882 you have trips with best kicker.
Stay away from 2 card "gappers". 5789 is a great hand to see a flop with but a hand like 3479 is terrible hand because of the gaps in the hand.
Don't raise with AA in your hand, other players will often put you on that hand and it's easy to play against someone when you know 2 of their cards, now if you can get close to 33% of your money in preflop with a RE-raise with AA in your hand that's good and you will be committed with most any flop if you can get this hand heads up.
AA with two random cards is only a 2 to 1 favourite over 4 random cards. Unlike hold'em where AA is at least a 4 to 1 over every hand heads up. Bad players often over play the value of AA in their hand.
Omaha in a full 9 or 10 handed game has very little bluffing and you must really respect the board. For example, if there are 3 hearts on the board and with much action at all you can bet someone has 2 hearts in their hand.
Position is very important in PLO, I will seldom raise preflop in PLO without position. You get lots more much needed information much cheaper when you have position on your opponents.
Suited cards have great value in this game as you will sometimes have the same straight as another player and you might have a possible freeroll on your flush possibilities.
Learn to sell your hands off for value when you make a big hand. If you make the nut flush on the river and want to get paid, don't bet the size of the pot, bet an amount that will likely get called by a weaker flush.
PLO often has really big swings , so manage your bankroll so you can withstand the peeks and valleys this game has. This is a game where you can flop the nut straight and be a 2 to 1 underdog vs. one player who has a set with a flush draw with two cards to come. This game caters to people who really like to gamble which makes it a great game to learn.
See you at the PLO tables
UB Team Member Shawn Rice