Omaha Hints about Table Positioning
Where you are positioned when playing Omaha online is quite important. If you are sitting just right of the Omaha dealer button, then you are in a very good position as you will hear the calls or raises of everyone around the table so you can assess the general strength of everybody’s hands before you make a decision to bet.
If you are sitting just left of the Omaha dealer button (big blind), then you are in a bad position, since if you call or raise, everyone else still has to make a decision to bet. It can be effectively like telling everyone that you have a good hand and therefore letting them make a decision based on that, although if you want to play a bluffing game then you can take advantage of this.
Omaha Tips for Playing from a Position of Strength
Like all poker games any hand is playable. However, it is recommended that most of the time that you play strong hole cards such as Ace or King and high valued consecutive cards such as Jack, 10 and 9. High pairs in combination with high valued consecutive cards are considered the best starting hands in Omaha. Entering a pot with no consecutive cards and a couple of high cards is not considered a smart play.
Omaha Hints for Playing the Odds
It is important to know what the odds are for achieving your hand. This is an important factor in deciding whether or not you should continue to play the hand. If you do have the best possible hand then it’s important that you take advantage of it by betting and raising with confidence, or in some instances checking the hand through, hoping that someone will continue to bet so you can raise the bidding even higher. If you are waiting on the draw of a card, consider how much it will cost you to get the card, and whether the card is likely to give you the best hand at the table.
Don’t forget that the 5 community cards are the base for every player’s hand. You need to be aware of what your cards are, and how your opponents are betting on the flop, the turn and the river.
Omaha Tips – Understanding What Other Players Are Doing
Try to read the other players. This can be difficult online as you cannot see your opponents and there may not be chat boards available, but you can still analyse the way that they bet or raise, how they have played prevous hands, and see whether they are consistent in their strategy or more erratic.
Omaha Tips – Play to Your Financial Limits
Like in any poker game, manage your money well by playing the games with the right betting limits for the amount of money you have. Since there are blinds in Omaha it is recommended your bankroll is about 200 times the amount of the big blind. If you are playing Pot Limit Omaha your bankroll may need to be greater.
Six Short Omaha Tips to Remember
- Try to work out which player has the strongest hand. It will give you an advantage when planning your next steps.
- Even though high pocket pairs with high suited consecutive cards are considered stronger starting hands, a player’s hand strength is still determined by which cards come on the flop.
- Patience is perhaps the most important tip for playing Omaha. Remember that you are not going to win every hand and don’t be afraid to keep folding if you are getting weak hands.
- If you eventually do have the best possible hand, it is very important to take advantage of it by betting and raising.
- In Omaha, it is important to know the odds of achieving your hand.
- If you sit at the right of the dealer button, then you are in a very good position to read the game.
Hints For Playing Omaha High-Low
In Omaha High-Low, players should be looking out for cards which can be used for both the high and the low hand. Below is a list of the best hands to look out for in Omaha High-Low:
- A-A-2-3
- A-A-2-X
- A-A-3-X
- A-A-4-5
- A-2-3-4
- A-2-3-X
- A-2-K-K
- A-2-K-Q
- A-2-Q-Q
- A-3-4-5
(X stands for any other card)
Don’t forget that you only play to scoop the pot. Therefore, if your hand is not a certain winner and will probably have to split with the low after the flop, it is recommended to check/fold and get out early. The same applies to if you are playing for low and don’t have a decent shot at the high hand.
It is quite difficult to run off players in Omaha high-low and early raises are risky unless you are sure that you can’t lose.
Focus on the high and low cards only
Hands with 8 and 9 are often very useful in Omaha but not that good in the Omaha High-Low game. Your best chances in Omaha High-Low is to focus on cards that help you in both a high and a low hand, for example, if you have the high end of a straight that also counts for part of a low hand.
Keep focused
Don’t forget to keep an eye on your own hands too. Omaha High-Low hands can get confusing and it is sometimes easy to think that you have a nut hand winner when you don’t, or have the best possible hand and not realise it. Be careful and double-check your hand.
Bluffing
It can be good to get caught bluffing every once in a while. This will mean that players will think that your play is unpredictable. You can sometimes win pots that you don’t deserve when your bluff works. You can also lose chips when it does not work but it could get you calls from weaker hands down the line when you are really strong.