You're a Bunch of Factors

Omaha. The beginners guide.

Have been asked to write a summary about omaha. The best way I can write it for beginners is to write it and compare to holdem. Some of it might sound confusing, but the differences are there, some are subtle some are big. Either way, it is an easy action generating game. But compared to holdem there are a lot more swings. You can have the nuts on the flop, the nuts on the turn, but lose to the nuts on the river.

4 Cards??
Obviously the first difference everyone notices is that, instead of the usual 2 cards in holdem, you get 4 cards dealt to you in omaha. However the big difference in showing down hands to win a pot.

You NEED to use 2 from your hand and 3 from the board. This is the simple most thing that most beginners forget. 2 from your hand and 3 from the board. Keep repeating until even you get sick of saying it, and then say it one more time. If your forget this in omaha, you lose your money. Trust me I have done it before, and I will probably do it again. .

Since we have 4 cards in Omaha, we now have a lot more different starting hands compared to holdem. That is 169 starting hands in holdem, equals 28561 hands in Omaha. Top 20% of hands in holdem equals 34 different starting hands. In Omaha top 20% equals 5712 playable starting hands.

Simply put, Omaha is a post flop game. In holdem, the EV on some hands can be 15-25%, whereas in Omaha you are lucky if you can 5-10%. Seeing the flop and evaluating your hand, is key to making informed decisions about where you are going in the game. Drawing hands make up the majority of winners in omaha. In Holdem, 2pair is the median winner. In Omaha it is trips. One pair, and two pair, aren't always going to win it for you.

Starting hand selection
The key points in starting hand selection is to see how cohesive your hand is as a whole. Not as 6 different holdem hands, but as a drawing hand. The two top hands in omaha are considered to be AAKK and AAJT double suited. (two nut flush draws). However a hand like 89TJ double suited is probably better than AKQJ unsuited.

The differences between the starting hand is to work out what can help you win. With 89TJ double suited, you have two flush draws, and 5 to A straights that you can draw to depending on the flop. With AKQJ, you have no flush draws, and only drawing to the 8-A straight. Still means AKQJ is a playable hand, just means you have to be aware of what is on the flop that can beat you.

Explanation of some terms.
Double suited means, a hand that contains 4 cards of only 2 suits.
Single suited means 4 cards containing 2 or more cards of the one suit.

Nut Flush draw – Flush draw with the ace of the suit in your hand.
Nut straight draw – Drawing to the top end of the straight.

This is just a start for a lot of people. There is an interesting hand that I want to post from the recent aussie millions. Definition of a bad beat. .

For my next PLO article, if people want certain things explained please let me know. More feedback i can get the more focused i can be on what to talk about. .

The hand i was talking about. Pretty much shows the power of draws in Omaha. And how it can go badly. .

Greatest Poker Hand in History

Easier to read the article. Bout midway down. Antonius vs Andy Robl, in omaha.
run the hands through 4 times. Very good read.

You mention bigger swings in PLO than NLHE, and Ive noticed that too.
So should you lead out on drawing hands, raise with big draws (nut flush AND nut straight draw say)?

I'll sometimes chase a nut flush in NLHE, even if Im not quite gettin the right price to do so, not often though, and only call a flop bet, never chase to the river (which darn, how many times has it hit THERE!)
How far should you chase your draws in PLO?
and should you say still lead out on a big draw on the turn, hoping to hit it on the river?

Thanks Brett.

Yeah, I read about that hand in the Pokernews magazine I got from an NPL FTT tourney... nasty to run the T&R so many times and lose like that from so far ahead!

It always seems odd to me, when ppl get lucky and someone tells them to go buy a lotto ticket! I had bad car smash I was lucky to even live through, let alone come out of it so well, and ppl said it to me soooo many times.... But if you think about it, ya kinda already used any 'luck' ya had up, on whatever it was that made them say 'Gee go buy a lottery ticket man'

Why bet? Pot control.

If your on a draw in holdem, do you bet big and hope it hits?

If your on a draw in Omaha, do you bet big and hope it hits?

The draw gives you the option of being priced in to someone betting their two pair on the flop.

Nut draws means you are getting value from people staying in with 2nd and 3rd nut draws.

Nut Flush draws with OESD, gives you more outs than the person with 2pair.
E.G 15 outs vs his 4 outs to hit a fullhouse.

Its not about betting people out of a pot, you want to keep them in to create the value for your hands to be made. and to take their chips when you know you can't be beaten on the river.

The reason there are bigger swings is because you have to have no fear. e.g paired board on the flop. Holdem people think omg he has a set or quads. Omaha think, great he has a set i can take his money if my draw makes it. Hence controlling the pot, keeping it small, and taking the value given.

PLO more mistakes are made every hand because people forget about Pot odds. Also is a bonus when a lot of people who are knew, over value certain hands because they are usually pretty strong in holdem (80:20) but are not as strong in Omaha (60:40).

As for leading out on the flop. It is usually easier to check the flop to see if you can get a cheap turn.

E.g. Pot is 150. You bet pot, Reraised the pot takes it to 750 in two bets. Where as a check, bet call, pot is at 450.

Make your hand on the turn.
Check, bet call, pot is at 1350.

River bricks the board.
Bet, reraise. Should be a lot of chips to take down.

Unless really deep stacked. Monster draws with outs coming out the wazoo, makes it easier to call. In holdem 10-15 is good. Omaha 10 outs is bad, 15-20 is good.

Good stuff Brett - I'll be sure to lead at more flop now

LOL. Rcon, my game style is a little different.

Depending on hands, i bet the flop check the turn. To keep the pot small, or to let them bet if they called me first. Just to get an idea of what they might be betting on. .

Getting the money into the flop first with draws can get a fold later on the river if their card doesn't turn up.

Also a lot of my bets are 1/2 pot to 3/4 pot. Value betting.

Check your hands

If you're dealt 55JT, and the flop falls 55Q, you have quads, not trip 5s, you retard.

AceLosesKing wrote:Check your hands

If you're dealt 55JT, and the flop falls 55Q, you have quads, not trip 5s, you retard.

Something you want to vent there Aaron?