Playing the River in Pot Limit Omaha
I would like to take this moment to pose a question to the innumerable masses that comprise my loyal readership. No, this question is not rhetorical in nature, but rather comes from a sincere desire for me, Floyd Manning, to get a handle on the changing tides of poker’s impact upon American society. If that sounds just a bit grandiose, please remember that I have been involved in this world of high-stakes action ever since you were in short pants, in all likelihood. (Granted, I have no way of knowing exactly how old you are, nonetheless I feel free in making such blind blanket statements. Sue me.)
But the point of this article is not the superiority of my poker knowledge over yours, which I think we can safely take as a given. What I want to discuss is the rapidly exploding popularity of pot limit Omaha among experienced poker players. Particularly, I am referring to players who have been on the circuit for some time and who have mastered the ins and outs of Texas Holdem. Human nature dictates that we must always look for new vistas to survey and new worlds to dominate; therefore, it is not too surprising to see that so many Holdem studs are moving on to the world of pot limit Omaha. Because this game offers the same type of thrills and excitement as its more famous cousin, while calling upon an entirely new skill set of poker acumen.
Of all the betting rounds found in pot limit Omaha, I find the river to be the most exciting. Let’s face it, this is where the game comes down to its most elemental form. By the time to the river card is turned, a pot limit Omaha player will already have a pile of cards from which to formulate his or her dominant hand. I have never been the type of player who places an inordinate amount of faith in filling out a hand based on the turn of the river. Having said that, no matter how much careful cultivation has taken place through the pre-flop, flop and turn betting rounds, one must always keep an open mind as to what the river may bring.
Therefore, especially in pot limit Omaha, I try to balance my understanding of the unpredictability of a blind card with a more formalized and structured approach to building a solid hand. In other words, if I am not fairly confident in what I am holding by the time I reach the turn, it is highly unlikely that I will still be in play by the time the river comes. I know that some bolder types out there in cyberspace will find this to be a laughably timid approach, but Floyd Manning has learned many painful lessons about throwing caution to the wind and allowing pure hubris to carry the day.
How should this affect your approach to playing the river in a game of pot limit Omaha? That answer can only be determined by looking into your own soul and deciding just how much risk you are willing to abide in your poker experience.