Limit Omaha

Introduction

With playing limit Omaha on the low limits you can easily make as much money, or even more, as with playing limit Texas Hold\'em. The basic strategy is the same: Just as when playing Texas Hold\'em, it's all a matter of waiting until the right hand comes along. Then there are also differences. Omaha has advantages: One advantage of playing limit Omaha is that in general the swings between the winning and loosing sessions is lower (variation of income between winning and loosing is lower). Furthermore, as known, at Texas Hold\'em it is sometimes very difficult to get an idea about whether or not you have the best hand. At Omaha however this is a lesser problem. This is because with Omaha every player has four cards in his/her hands, which means that in general you need a way higher combination to win. Most of the time this means you need the best hand possible with the cards from the table (= the nuts). In other words, you know when you have the best hand or not, and because of this you can avoid big losses. Furthermore, given that many bad players will call you anyway with less good hands (for example two pair) you will easily make money in the long term.

In general players play too many hands and too passive at the low limit Omaha tables (= playing loose passive). More than six players in a pot is not unusual. The best hands to play are therefore hands in which you have a chance on either a high straight or a high flush

Limit Omaha is almost always played longhand

Before the flop

Unlike Texas Hold\'em, Omaha does not have top hands, like AA or KK in which you're almost certain that you're gonna win. This is because at Omaha every player gets four cards, which is increasing the chance that you'll be beaten (by the cards that appear at the table) regardless of how good your hand seemed at the beginning of the round. This however does not mean that there's no distinction between good and bad hands. It's just that you should just only play hands in which you have a chance of getting the nuts (top straight top flush or top full house). a super flop is a flop in which you have a reasonable hand (two pair three of a kind) and a chance on a straight flush or full house This will not happen often, so just remember that every flop in which you have a chance on getting the nuts is worth playing. Please do pay very good attention to the cards at the table! For example, in case there are many players in the pot and there's a pair and two suited cards at the table, it will not make any sense to go for a straight draw. The chance that at that stage someone else already has a full house or a flush is way too large!

When you have a hand with a good draw for example (9d) (so all suited) it is better not to raise. This is because you want to have as many players as possible in the pot, so you don't want to scare them out of the pot by raising. You will not win often, however when you win you'll get a big pot.

When you have a hand with high cards, for example , it is better to raise You should also raise when the flop gives you many possibilities to get the nuts raise in order to build a big pot.

AAxx or KKxx are also worth playing. It is however better to play these hands against fewer opponents, so in this case it is better to raise (to scare other players out of the pot). You will then need to get a three of a kind or a full house in order to continue playing. Remember that at Omaha in general an overpair is worthless because the chance to be beaten when you have that is too large.

After the flop

When you do not have a top two pair three of a kind or a good draw after the flop you should fold!! However, when there are only a few opponents you can consider to be slightly less demanding. In that case also a draw on a flush which is not the nut-flush (so lower than an Ace) is enough. Furthermore when there's a pair at the table and you do not have a three of a kind you'll have to fold no matter the draw you have, because the chance that someone else has a full house is too large.

Bluffing will not help you at Omaha only semi-bluffing (with a good draw) can sometimes be successful in order to intimidate your opponents or win when there are few opponents. However, in case you have two pair or three of a kind after the flop and there's a possible draw at the table, you'll need to pay very good attention. When there are also still many players in the pot, it would mean that many cards to come could still mean your doom. Because of this you should make it as expensive as possible for your opponents to see the next card. check-raise is in this case the best thing to do. If after that the next card at the table seems to be able to defeat you, you can then fold

When you get a top full house or four of a kind you can consider to slow play and hope that one of your opponents hits a straight or a flush However, don't do this every time because it will make you predictable (in other words: give your opponents a "read"). In case you're dealing with really bad opponents, those who will call anyway, you should just raise Some players call anything with a flush even when there's a pair at the table which is really easy money!

At Omaha a full house does not automatically mean the best hand. It often happens that a full house is beaten by a higher full house a low full house is a full house in which the three of a kind is lower than the pair at the table. a high full house is a full house in which the three of a kind is higher than the pair at the table. Most times you're safe when you have a high full house

When you have the best flush or best straight on the turn and there's no pair at the table, you should raise as much as possible in order to avoid opponents from getting a full house This is the best approach because it means that in case they get their full house anyway, they have at least paid for it.
Sometimes there's no straight or flush possible with the cards at the table, which could make you think that your two pair or three of a kind is the highest hand. When the then following card at the table suddenly makes a straight or flush possible it might be wise to just check depending on the number of players in the pot. What you want is to avoid that someone check-raises you because it would make you pay double. This works in two directions. When you hit your straight or flush it is better to raise than trying to check-raise Your opponent may possibly also want to check because of his/her fear for a flush

It is important to constantly change your game in order to confuse your opponents. It will make them afraid of an occasional check-raise which might mean free cards for you because they loose the confidence to raise! Again, in case there are only bad players at your table you should always raise Bad players don't pay attention on what you do anyway.