The Hands in Omaha Poker

3. The Hands in Omaha PokerINDIO HOLDEM Pot-limit Omaha (or "Omaha high") is known as an "action game, " which is one reason why it is popular among high-stakes players. Since players start with four hole cards in Omaha instead of two, they can make a much wider range of hands. Therefore, hand values tend to be higher in Omaha than in Texas hold'em, with players making 'the nuts' or the highest possible hand much more frequently. If you think about it, in PLO, players aren't dealt just a single two-card combination (as in Texas hold'em), but six different two-card combinations (among the four-hole cards) from which to choose the best hand. It isn't unsurprising that players tend to make much better hands at showdown in Omaha pokerINDIO HOLDEM. In Texas hold'em, making two pair or three-of-a-kind can be a very strong hand, but in Omaha, there will often be better hands out there to beat those holdings. In fact, two pair is often considered the most overplayed hand among novice Omaha players, especially when making the transition from Texas hold'em. Don't be that person — stay vigilant when holding two pair in Omaha! Let's look at two more examples. Example 1. You have been dealt 10 ♠ 9 ♠ 8 ♥ 7 ♥ and by the river the board is 7 ♠ 9 ♥ K ♥ J ♣ 2 ♦ . Using the ten and eight in your hand, along with three community cards, you have a jack-high straight. The problem is that any opponent holding Q x 10 x X x X x would complete a higher, king-high straight and therefore beat you. If the betting gets heavy on the river, that's probably exactly what is happening. Example 2. You hold J ♠ J ♣ 9 ♠ 9 ♥ on a board of 9 ♦ K ♠ Q ♥ 5 ♦ 3 ♦ . You have a set of nines, which would be a fantastic holding in Texas hold'em. But Omaha poker is a different game, and several hands could beat yours. Anyone with K x K x X x X x or Q x Q x X x X x would have a higher set, and an opponent with J x 10 x X x X x would have a straight. There is also a flush possibility, meaning anyone with X ♦ X ♦ X x X x (two diamonds) would make a flush. Due to the nature of so many better hands, an opponent may just be calling your bets with a set of kings or queens as they may fear a straight or flush, so even if you are not facing any immediate aggression, you could still be beaten so proceed with caution. 4. Differences Between Omaha and Texas hold'emINDIO HOLDEM? Like Texas hold'em, Omaha is a 'flop' game that uses community cards. Players are dealt their own hands face down — their 'hole cards' — and use those cards in combination with the five community cards (the flop, turn, and river) to make five-card poker hands. However, there is one big difference between Omaha and Texas hold'emINDIO HOLDEM. Whereas in Texas hold'emINDIO HOLDEM all the players receive two hole cards each, in Omaha they get four hole cards. Of those four hole cards, players must choose two to be used in combination with three of the five community cards to build their five-card poker hands. Yes. In an Omaha poker game, each player must use two of their hole cards and three of the community cards to build a poker hand. That's different from Texas hold'em where players can use: both of their hole cards (and three community cards), just one hole card (and four community cards), or no hole cards (and all five community cards, which is called "playing the board"). In pot-limit Omaha, the poker hand rankings are just the same as in Texas hold'em. Like Texas hold'emINDIO HOLDEM, pot-limit Omaha or 'PLO' poker is played as a 'high-hand' game, which means the hands go (from best to worst): royal flush straight flush four-of-a-kind full house flush straight three-of-a-kind two pair one pair high-card. Other Omaha Poker Tips The Importance of 'Position' Just like in Texas hold'emINDIO HOLDEM, poker positioning is an important element in Omaha. Many consider this game aspect to be even more important in Omaha poker. That's due to the pot-limit betting format and all the combinations a player can make with an Omaha hand. When you have 'position' on your opponents, you can follow their actions and base your decisions on the information you received. When you are out of position, it becomes much harder to make the correct decisions. The lack of information can lead to wrongful assumptions and push you to take risks not justified by the value of the cards you hold. Another benefit of being in position is that you have a better chance of controlling the pot size, which is often based on the strength of your hand and your overall goal in the pot. Being out of position to one or more opponents allows them to control the pot size and capitalize on the added information of knowing your actions first. Bluffing in Omaha Poker Because Omaha is so focused on the nuts, it might seem like bluffing plays an important role in the game. A player can represent a wider range of hands in Omaha and also open up with a few more semi-bluffs available. In fact, experienced Omaha players will often bet big draws heavily on the flop since, in some cases, those draws are mathematical favorites versus made hands. All of which is to say players do bluff in pot-limit Omaha, but with so many possible hands out there, you have to be judicious when deciding when it is best to bluff. The more you learn about the game, the easier it will become to pick up on these spots and determine how to proceed against various opponents. Be Wary of the Blockers Relatedly, "blockers" have also become much more prevalent in Omaha than in Texas hold'emINDIO HOLDEM

. Blockers are those cards you hold in your hand that prevent an opponent from making a specific hand. For example, if a board reads K ♠ 10 ♠ 5 ♥ 2 ♠ 4 ♦ and you hold the A ♠ in your hand but no other spades, you may not have a flush, but you know your opponent cannot make the nut flush. This gives you added power in the hand, allowing you to push your opponent off certain hands, as your opponent is guaranteed not to hold the nuts.