Pre-Flop Play in Pot Limit Omaha
Many people who are just starting to dive into the briny waters of pot limit Omaha, especially those whose knowledge of community card poker resides exclusively in the arena of Texas Holdem, find themselves facing a host of daunting questions. Because, though these two popular variants share quite a few fundamental aspects, there are also many diverse and potentially confusing differences separating (both in game play and winning strategy) a solid Omaha player from your average Texas Holdem champion.
The sheer number of variations offered underneath the Omaha banner itself can be a bit daunting. In addition to pot limit, there also fixed limit games available for play in most casinos, as well as high/lo and “eight or better.” But many gamblers find the pot limit form to be the most gratifying in terms of providing a setting for nonstop betting, bluffing and monster pots.
In addressing the general strategy of pot limit, as in any Holdem variant, the first issue that must be addressed (chronologically speaking) is how to deal with the pre-flop portion of the game. At this point, you will have been dealt your hole cards, which in Omaha number four rather than two. Omaha is often considered to be a “nuts” game, as the nuts hand will often be the final determinant of victory, should a showdown arise. Therefore, the measuring stick used to determine a solid starting hand (meaning before the flop) varies quite a bit between Omaha and Holdem.
But do not be confused, even if Texas Holdem is your “bread and butter.” In Omaha, it is simply important to remember that you will have a wider array of options in which to assemble your ultimate hand. This is only natural, considering that you will be dealing with twice the number of hole cards that you’re used to dealing with in a game of Holdem.
Many online articles about pot limit Omaha will stress the importance of having double-suited hole cards, and preferably ones that are consecutive. But, in my mind, that is like putting too much importance upon getting a cherry on top of every slice of birthday cake you’re likely to receive in your lifetime. Sure, it is a nice perk, and a very solid way to begin a new year, but there’s no reason to assume the next 365 days will be filled with misery just because that mythical cherry fails to appear.
Therefore, if you find yourself with a starting hand that does not contain double-suited or consecutive cards, the trick is to proceed in a calculated fashion, largely predicated upon the skill level of your opponents and their relative penchants for loose/aggressive or tiny/conservative play. The more time you spend at Omaha tables, the easier it will become to read these characteristics in your opponents, and your chances for winning any particular pot limit Omaha hand will only thus increase.
Games available for play in most online casinos