Omaha - strategies (Omaha). Pot-limit Omaha strategy Strategy for beginners: choosing a starting hand in Omaha poker

Omaha is a very popular poker card game, similar to the well-known Texas Hold'em. There are only two significant differences between the two games: in Omaha, each player receives four cards rather than two, but must use two of them to make a combination, no more and no less. Because of these differences, the Omaha poker strategy is significantly different from Hold'em, and in today's article we will analyze in detail the nuances of playing Omaha and give valuable tips for beginning players.

How to play Omaha poker

At the moment, there are many varieties and types of Omaha, among which the most common are the following:

classic Omaha (Omaha Holdem) - as we know, players receive 4 cards in their hands, and then try to collect the best combination using two of their cards and three cards from the common board.
five card Omaha (5 card Omaha) – all players receive 5 cards in their hands and must use 2 of them to make a combination);
Omaha eight-or-better is a so-called “Scoop” game in which the pot is divided between two players - the one with the highest hand and the one with the lowest. For a low combination, you can use cards with a face value no higher than eight of different values, while the player should not have pairs, a set, a flush, a straight, etc.

In addition, there are two types of Omaha – Hi, Hi-Low. In Omaha High, the highest hand always wins, and in Hi-Lo, the pot is divided in half between the high and low hands.

Omaha also differs in the type of bets: unlimited (No Limited or NLO) – players can place bets of any size; limit (Limited, LO) – bets are limited to certain values, which are usually indicated at the gaming table; Pot-Limited or PLO is the most popular variation of Omaha, in which bets are limited to the current pot (then).

The strategy for playing Omaha differs significantly depending on the type and type of game, however, there are general rules, guided by which you can become a successful player in this poker discipline.

Strategy for playing Omaha poker

Firstly, it is worth remembering that Omaha is a game for experienced players. If you are new to poker, then you should not start mastering the world of poker with this discipline. This is not only more difficult, but also fraught with loss of funds if you play for real money. For a less experienced player, it is best to start by learning the basics and playing Texas Hold'em. Also keep in mind that you should not choose tables with deep stacks if you are not one hundred percent confident in your abilities.

Before the game starts

Even before you start the game, you should decide on your strategy for playing Omaha poker. Consider the following factors:

What stacks should I play on? In Omaha, as in other games, the generally accepted “golden mean” is a stack of 100BB (i.e. 100 big blinds). But it's worth remembering that the deeper your stack, the more experienced players you should be. For a beginner, a stack of 50BB is quite suitable, fortunately there are such in poker rooms.
Which table should you choose? Various poker operators offer short (5-6 players) and long tables (8-11 players). Choose the one you like. However, do not forget that your tactics for playing Omaha poker will depend on the selected table. If there are few poker players in the game, then you should play looser and more aggressively, but the more players at the table, the tighter your game should be.
Which playstyle should you prefer? As we said earlier, the style of play largely depends on the chosen table. But always remember: four cards in your hand provide a fairly wide range of combinations that can be collected not only for you, but also for your opponents, so you need to play very carefully and only play really valuable cards.

Omaha is an unpredictable game, and big losses are not uncommon. Therefore, it should never be a tragedy for you to lose 10 big blinds or so. The main thing is to remain calm and not fall into tilt (an emotionally unstable state of a player after a series of losses). Here a cool head and accurate calculation are much more important than in other poker disciplines, remember this!

To protect yourself from tilt, and as a result from large losses, you can set a maximum amount for yourself, after losing which you will have to take a time out and rest from the game.

Starting Hands Chart

Many players who are experienced in Texas Hold'em often make a very important mistake in Omaha. Namely, they start playing very loosely, which is a failed strategy in Omaha poker. Over the long haul, you will very often receive pairs, straight draws, flush draws and other good starting hands. But don’t forget that your opponents also have four cards, which means they also have a high chance of getting good pocket cards.

So, the best cards for the opening game in Omaha High are considered to be pairs of suited aces and kings. This hand potentially covers two flush draws at once and can make a pretty strong full house. High pairs - AA, KK, QQ - can also be considered strong, but three cards of the same value are considered a worse option than just a pair, because you can only use two pocket cards.

The suit of the cards also plays an important role. Let's say if you have two kings, a jack and an ace in your hands, then it is best for the king and jack to be of the same suit, as well as the other

Position at the table

Position at the poker table is your position relative to the dealer and the blinds. In late positions, you can make decisions after most other players, which plays into your favor. You already have some information about your opponents' hands and can not only make a more informed decision, but also significantly expand your range of hands. In early positions, when you have to make the first decision, you must be very critical of your own hand and play only the best cards.

Playing style

Your image at the gaming table is also important. If you often make raises, then at first you will be able to win several hands. However, at a distance, this tactic will work against you, and opponents can easily create competition for you.

If you play tight and miss a lot of hands, then from time to time you need to enter the pot and raise preflop or flop. Knowing your cautious playing style, your opponents are unlikely to risk accepting your bet. And this, in turn, will help not only recoup the chips spent on the blinds, but also make some good money.

Omaha poker strategy also differs depending on the length of the table: at short tables of 5-6 players you should play more aggressively, while at long tables for 8-11 players stick to tight and cautious play.

Strategy for playing Omaha Hi Low

Hi Low is by far the most popular version of Omaha, as it is a very dynamic and unpredictable game. Most often, the game is played at tables where bets are limited by the pot of the hand, or Pot Limited Omaha Hi Low, in the abbreviated form PLO Hi/Lo.

The strategy in Omaha Hi Low differs little from the tactics for Omaha, with the exception of the starting hand chart. This is what we will talk about in this chapter.

In pot-limit Omaha hands, players' bets cannot exceed the current pot size.

The most important point in Hi/Lo play is the analysis of starting hands. As we remember, to win we need to collect either the highest combination or the lowest. There is also a chance to take the entire bank by collecting the wheel: i.e. combination A-2-3-4-5, which is considered the strongest in “Scoop” games. Accordingly, good hands for us would be A-2-3-4, A-5-2-4 and the like.

Also, strong hands are those that give a chance to collect both High and Low combinations - A-A-2-3, K-K-2-4, Q-Q-3-A and the like. The following cards should not be discounted: A-A-x-x, K-K-x-x, Q-Q-x-x, A-K-x-x, 2-4-5-6, 3-2 -4-5. But the rows, i.e. various straight draws are not the best start, unlike classic Omaha High.

In conclusion, we will give some more important recommendations:

Having “nuts” (a strong combination) in your hands, you should not stretch out the game and allow your opponent to cheaply watch the last streets. Act aggressively! However, do not forget that your opponent can make a better combination, and in this case you will lose money;
You shouldn’t discount rare combinations, such as full house, four of a kind, straight flush – if in Hold’em such hands are quite rare, then in Omaha they happen all the time. Be careful;
You should not raise with draw combinations; in Omaha, such playing tactics often bring losses. But if you have a good chance of making the nuts, then you can experiment and bet at your discretion;
Pay enough attention to analyzing the cards on the table, try to guess the cards in your opponents’ hands. Don't forget that the more opponents there are in the pot, the more picky you should be about your own hand;
Don't forget that your opponents can “catch” you with a “check-raise” technique, having the best hand. This tactic is used quite often by many players in Omaha poker, but don’t forget about it when you decide to bet against your opponent’s “check.”

In this article we have given you Omaha poker strategies that are applicable for successful play in this discipline. Remember that Omaha is a game for experienced poker players and is not suitable for learning the basics of poker. Also, beginners are not recommended to start mastering Omaha poker strategies from tables with a deep stack; it is best to start with amounts of no more than 50 big blinds. This will give you more confidence and help you avoid big losses, which often happens in this game.Don’t forget to put our tips into practice, we wish you a successful game!

This discipline, but also the strategy of the game. The techniques that you used in Hold'em will not be suitable due to significant differences in the rules, poker mathematics and tactical capabilities. A set of nine cards provides completely different options for making combinations, which is why there is a completely different approach to choosing starting hands and playing them.

Starting hands in Omaha

In Omaha poker, the preflop strategy, just like in Hold'em, is based on the choice of starters to enter the bidding, but assessing their prospects becomes more complicated. You receive four cards, but when making a combination you will use two of them without fail. Therefore, combinations of two pocket cards are important, providing the prospect of making a strong hand. The more such connections in the starting hand, the better it is. Let’s conventionally call each pocket card a letter, for example – X,Y,Z,L . The following connections can be formed in this set:

XY, XZ, XL,YZ,YL,ZL – six different options for card combinations.

Each of the combinations can be called a pair if it provides the prospect of making a Flush, Straight or already forms a pair, for example:

The strength of a hand depends on how many such ligaments there are in it. The best hand has all six ligaments. However, the strength of the ligaments should also be taken into account. The stronger the combination they allow to be made, the better the hand. For example, having a peak of 4.6, you can make a Flush or Straight, but they can lose to a stronger similar combination. Therefore, it is important to take into account the value of the cards - the higher it is, the better. In total, the basic strategy for choosing starting hands can be reduced to the following aspects:

Suitable for Raising Preflop

TOP 30 hands from the following table - four-suited, three-suited or better:

Suited AKHH , Where X – this is a Ten or a picture;
Two-suited rows from Five and above;
Double-suited rows from Five and above, having one hole on the Straight between high or low cards or between one low and three high cards, for example - QJT8 .
Double suited CCXX or higher.

Often, preflop in the Omaha game, the strategy allows you to enter into limping trades, since there are many limpers in front of you and you can profitably invest in the pot, since it is already large and allows you to play according to the odds. If you enter the Flop, the pot will already be high, and due to the large number of opponents, it will not be difficult to raise it even more.

For limping, choose the following basic hands:

AQXX , where the Ace does not match the suit of at least one other card, and X – equal to or greater than Ten;
Rows where the smaller card is a Four;
Rows where the smaller card is a Five and there is one hole that does not share the highest card with the others.

Rows are a collection of multiples arranged in order of face value, sometimes with only one hole. Such starters are especially valuable if they have no holes or are double-suited.

Example of a two-suit row:

Example of a suited row:

Preflop Lines

Even with the best hands, it is not always necessary to enter the betting preflop with a Raise in the Omaha game. At some tables, raising simply will not make sense, since it will not be possible to knock out your opponents from bidding. It is especially difficult to eliminate opponents at pot-limit tables if the player is moving from an early position. The small pot prevents you from making a high raise that threatens the stacks of other opponents. In late position the situation changes, since if opponents were involved in the bidding, the Raise can be made significant.

At a tight table it is always beneficial to expand the range of hands played, but at a loose table it is necessary to narrow it. At a short table, the range can also be expanded compared to a long table. The position must be taken into account in the same way as in Hold'em - the more advantageous the position at the table, the wider the range. In this discipline, it is more difficult to assess the range of hands of opponents, so experienced poker players use poker programs to obtain statistical data about opponents.

Aggressive bidding in Omaha poker should be done in most cases with a ready Nut hand. Also, with a raise, you can play Draws that provide a lot of Outs to make a combination, for example, a Flush Draw, a Straight Draw and a big Set at the same time. However, you should pay attention to whether your hand will be high if your opponent makes a similar combination. Please also consider some of the following Omaha poker strategy tips.

Watch your opponents and choose the optimal line of play for each of them. Some will only play with premium hands, others with any hands, and still others will sometimes use bluffs.
Be careful when responding to large bets and Raises - this more often than in Hold'em indicates that your opponent has a strong hand. In Omaha, bluffing is used much less often.
Don't play aggressively with a shorted Straight Draw, even if there are a lot of outs on it. It is better to play passively and wait for the combination to be completed. Here you will often be run over by having a Flush and a High Straight. New community cards can put you in a dangerous position. Having completed your hand and seeing the next cards, you can more accurately assess the likelihood of whether your opponent can make a stronger hand.
Pocket Aces cannot be overestimated! Some loose players, having received pocket Aces here, try to make a huge raise preflop. However, they do not have the same power as in Hold'em, and the bet can be matched by two or three opponents or more. If you don't get an Ace on the flop, you will in most cases find yourself in a difficult situation and receive a big raise from your opponents.
Don't invest a lot of money in draws that don't allow you to make nuts - unbeatable combinations on a particular board.

The strategy in Omaha Hi Low differs sharply from the modified Hi, as poker players strive to collect both types of hands at the same time. For example, the best hand to enter preflop betting is AA23, with two suited connectors. On the flop, players evaluate the prospects of making a Low, since in some hands the board does not allow making a low combination or provides extremely low chances of making one - one card from 8 and below.

Practice playing Omaha at low stakes, for example, at micro-limits or in cheap SNG events. You will learn about the range of games with this discipline and poker rooms where you can play it for free or for money.

Omaha poker is considered the most difficult variation of seven card stud for beginners due to the large number of betting rounds. It is for this reason that the most important strategy in Omaha poker remains the strategy of choosing starting hands and playing them depending on the player’s position.

Top starting hands in Omaha poker

The first thing to remember when playing Omaha poker is that the knowledge used in Texas Hold'em to analyze your starting hand does not apply to Omaha. Firstly, because in Omaha poker the player receives exactly twice as many cards pre-flop - not two, but four. Accordingly, the number of potential combinations for the starting hand is greater. Secondly, in Omaha poker the concept of a draw hand is very important - that is, a hand in which the cards make up an incomplete combination (for example, a flush without one card - a draw-flush).

Considering the special importance of draw hands in Omaha poker, as well as the fact that there are more rounds of betting in this type of poker (and, accordingly, the bets grow faster, and the game itself is much more aggressive than Texas Hold'em), the strategy for choosing a starting hand for further poker play Omaha looks like this:

Top 30 starting hands for Omaha poker

1. A-A-K-K	11. K-Q-J-T	21. Q-Q-A-K
2. A-A-J-T	12. K-K-T-T	22. Q-Q-A-J
3. A-A-Q-Q	13. K-K-A-Q	23. Q-Q-A-T
4. A-A-J-J	14. K-K-A-J	24. Q-Q-K-J
5. A-A-T-T	15. K-K-A-T	25. Q-Q-K-T
6. A-A-9-9	16. K-K-Q-J	26.Q-Q-J-T
7. A-A-x-x	17. K-K-Q-T	27. Q-Q-J-9
8. J-T-9-8	18. K-K-J-T	28.Q-Q-9-9
9. K-K-Q-Q	19. Q-Q-J-J	29. J-J-T-T
10. K-K-J-J	20. Q-Q-T-T	30. J-J-T-9

Legend in the table:

A - Ace
K is king
Q - lady
J - jack
T-ten
X - any card

An important note - all of the top 30 starting hands that can be played in Omaha poker are hands consisting only of cards of two different suits. A mishmash of cards of three or four different suits in Omaha poker must be folded immediately and without hesitation.

Strategy for beginners: choosing a starting hand in Omaha poker

Of course, it is difficult for a novice Omaha poker player to remember thirty starting combinations at once - therefore, when starting to get acquainted with this type of poker, you can be guided by a simpler strategy for choosing a starting hand.

Guaranteed profitable hands in Omaha poker (especially if you are not yet confident in your abilities) are as follows:

Three high cards of the same rank - sets (threes): aces, kings, queens and jacks
One or two pairs of high cards - a pair of aces, kings, queens, jacks. Of great importance in Omaha poker is whether the pair is closed or open. If the cards that make up a pair are up, the advantage is less than when the pair is down - because in a down-pair situation, your opponents cannot predict the presence of a pair. In addition to the pair itself, the value of the kicker card is also important for the starting hand: the older the card, the more advantageous your position for playing this starting hand
A suited draw hand is the basis of a future flush. This starting hand should only be played when the draw consists of high cards - Ace, King, Queen, Jack. The lower the value of the cards that make up the draw combination, the riskier it is to play such a hand.
Pairs of cards of average value - tens, nines, eights
Drawing hands from medium cards of the same suit (jacks, tens, nines, eights) - in principle, it is possible to play such hands, but doing so is quite risky.

Playing from position in Omaha poker

Another important rule for winning in Omaha poker is maintaining your position: you need to build your playing strategy taking into account both your position relative to the dealer in each round and the position of your opponents.

In Omaha poker, position analysis is even more important than in Texas Hold'em. In Texas Hold'em, the player in late position is the last to bet and therefore has much more information about the behavior and hands of his opponents than the player in early position. And in Omaha poker, the player not only has information, but also gets more options for further actions. For example, if an early position player in Omaha poker raises, the late position player has the opportunity to call without losing a large number of chips. In addition, playing from a late position in Omaha poker is also beneficial because you can re-raise (increase the bet again), which is extremely disadvantageous for a player in an early position - with the help of such a maneuver it is quite easy to eliminate opponents in early positions from the game.

There are many more potentially strong combinations in Omaha poker than in Texas Hold'em - since the number of cards dealt pre-flop is exactly twice as large, and there are more stages of the game. Accordingly, in Omaha poker you can play a larger number of starting hands - but this depends solely on the player’s position: for example, in an early position, the number of profitable starting hands is maximally limited, and weak combinations/marginal hands cannot be played under any circumstances.

Flop, turn and river: the three most important stages in Omaha poker

If in Texas Hold'em winning largely depends on the strategy chosen pre-flop, after analyzing the starting hand, then in Omaha poker the situation is exactly the opposite: the strategy of playing on the flop, turn and river is of great importance.

Pre-flop in Omaha poker can be considered only a kind of preparatory stage, where the game becomes more intense and aggressive on the flop. If one player already has a strong hand on the flop, it is likely that one or two opponents will have potentially even stronger draws - which can be completed on the turn or river. Therefore, in Omaha poker it is generally accepted that a hand before the river is always an incomplete hand.

The most popular variation of seven-card stud, Omaha poker is advantageous (for aggressive and strong players) in that it involves more rounds of betting - which means that in the final rounds the bets can skyrocket, but the pot for which you are fighting grows to more than decent sizes. Professionals say that the main strategy for playing Omaha poker is an aggressive style of play with all its components: active bluffing, raises and re-raises on a strong hand and, most importantly, analysis of opponents’ hands.

The main elements of an effective strategy in Omaha poker:

Strict selection of played hands - if in general no more than 20% of hands are played in poker, then in Omaha poker this figure is even less. To successfully play Omaha, you need to enter the pot only with a strong hand or a potentially strong drawing hand with a high probability of completion.
Self-control - no matter how simple this rule may seem, in Omaha poker it is of utmost importance. You should never bluff recklessly with a weak hand - in Omaha poker, where the playstyle is predominantly aggressive, it is very difficult to simply bluff your opponents into folding their hand. Therefore, when playing Omaha poker, you need patience, the ability to wait for a favorable situation, a hand that is favorable to you.
Analyzing your opponents' hands is the basis of any poker strategy. Every little detail is important: the behavior of opponents in the game itself, their facial expressions and gestures, the experience of past plays.
The ability to remember your opponents' open cards is an element of strategy that is specific to Omaha poker with its specific rules of distribution and betting rounds (remember that in Omaha all betting, with the exception of the first round, is opened by the player with the highest open card). Always pay attention to your opponents' open cards - in particular, check to see if there are any cards among your opponents' cards that could strengthen your hand.

In Omaha poker, you should never make the following mistakes:

Playing too many hands - let us remind you once again that in Omaha poker you need to enter into a fight only with a 100% strong hand.
Continue the game if your opponents constantly raise, and you have weak combinations or a drawing hand.
Ignore your opponents' actions or draw incorrect conclusions about their hands (including not paying attention to your opponents' open cards).
Adhere to a passive playing style - in Omaha poker, the only correct strategy is aggressive play. Even if you have a strong hand, it at least needs to be protected in the later rounds. In addition, the strategy of aggressive play in Omaha allows you to control the progress of trading and the size of bets/bank.
It is unjustifiable to take risks when playing with a drawing hand. Yes, indeed, the strategy of raising draws in Omaha is considered quite effective, but not in cases where you are trying to play a weak drawing hand if your opponent has a strong drawing hand.

Key Omaha Poker Strategy: Betting and Raising on a Draw Hand

Omaha poker is distinguished from other types of poker not only by specific rules (for example, the presence of open cards for players or a large number of betting rounds), but also by the emphatically aggressive playing style that most Omaha fans adhere to. Therefore, one of the most effective strategies in Omaha poker is betting and raising draws.

What is a draw hand? A draw, or unfinished hand, is a set of cards you have that can potentially be strengthened by cards from the general hand. The stronger the draw, the better your position compared to your opponents. Accordingly, the most important element of the strategy for Omaha is betting, raising and even re-raising on a draw hand, which in some cases allows you to “squeeze” your opponents out of the game already in the early stages.

In Omaha poker, the draw hand strategy requires considering how much of your hand is open and read by your opponents, and how much remains closed. For example, imagine the following situation: sixth street, you have an unfinished flush in your hand, four cards of the same suit, and all you need to complete the draw is a single card of the same suit. Three cards from your flush draw are revealed and can be seen by all players. In such a situation, there is only one strategy for effectively playing Omaha poker: feel free to place bets and raises, with the help of such an aggressive style of play you have a great chance to “squeeze out” some of your competitors - after all, everyone can see perfectly well that you potentially have a very strong combination in your hand. But in the opposite situation, when three of the four cards of your flush draw are closed, the strategy of raising draws cannot be followed - in this case, at least a bluff strategy or a careful game is more suitable. And one more important rule: in Omaha poker it is not recommended to constantly call unless you have a good reason for doing so (for example, calling in Omaha is often used to “lure” an opponent, “spin” him for big expenses in the next round).

The basis of strategy in Omaha poker: analyzing your hand

Although in Omaha poker the most intense battle usually begins only with the third street, it is necessary to correctly evaluate your hand from the very beginning - and right up to the very end. It is important not only to correctly assess your chances, but also to constantly monitor your opponents’ open cards - whether there are any cards among them that could strengthen your combination. The choice of further strategy for playing Omaha poker is based on one single principle - only a potentially profitable hand is played.

Weak combinations (for example, pairs of low cards or a draw hand) are played only until all of your outs (cards from the deck that can strengthen/complete your combination) have not yet been eliminated. As an example, consider the following situation: you have a ten, a nine and an eight in your hand. If all your outs are still in play (there are no sevens or jacks in your opponents' open cards), the hand is worth playing. If there are no outs, the hand must be folded - this is the only correct decision in this situation.

The following combinations (in decreasing order of priority) are considered the most profitable starting hands, which can be played in Omaha poker even in conditions of extremely aggressive play by opponents:

Sets (threes) are any combinations of three highest cards of the same value, from three aces and below.
Pairs of high cards - for example, two aces or two jacks. Build your strategy for further Omaha poker play based on whether these cards are open or closed - if the pair is closed, you have a significant advantage, since your opponents cannot calculate your hand. Another important point is the high card (kicker): playing a hand with a pair and an ace is much less risky than a hand with a pair and a deuce.
High cards of the same suit are a potential basis for a future flush. Aces, kings, queens, and jacks are suitable for building a drawing hand. Draws with cards of lower value are much riskier to play.
Pairs of middle cards - tens, eights.
Combinations of middle cards of the same suit are also the basis for a potential flush, but are much riskier. Combinations such as jack+ten+nine, nine+eight+seven can be considered as good starting hands.

How to win at Omaha poker: analyzing your opponent's actions

There are special concepts in poker - hand reading (hand reading) and soul reading (soul reading), which mean the ability to “read” the hands of opponents and the ability to “read” their “soul”, that is, analyze the behavior, personality, and character of opponents. The basis of any poker strategy, and not only in the Omaha poker strategy, is observation, which allows you to obtain maximum information about the position of your opponents and draw the most accurate conclusions. The main rule of soul reading in poker is observing any, even the most trivial at first glance, actions of your opponents. Analyzing these actions allows you to roughly understand what kind of hand your opponent is (or has already) collected.

The behavior of players (especially those new to Omaha poker) can vary significantly depending on their starting hands and the combinations they make. Conventionally, all hand options can be divided into several main categories:

Top hands are usually combinations of three (set) and higher. Recognizing such a hand from your opponent is quite simple, especially if he is a beginner: a strong hand instills confidence in your opponent, he is willing to bet and raise (often instead of calling).
Made hands of average value - most often these are a pair or two pairs of high/medium cards. Such hands themselves can be both profitable (especially if the player is in late position) and risky. Accordingly, assuming your opponent has such a hand, also take into account his position at the poker table relative to the dealer.
Drawing hands are unfinished hands, combinations that can potentially strengthen one or two cards from common distributions. This could be an unfinished flush, a straight, and so on.
Weak hands are random weak hands with which a player can only use poker bluff strategies. As a rule, if a player is new to poker or at least a good bluff, it is quite easy to recognize the bluff strategy used against you and, accordingly, the weak (marginal) hand of your opponent.

Answers to the following questions will help you correctly analyze your opponent’s hand in Omaha poker and build your poker strategy based on these conclusions:

How do your opponents behave - do they often bet and raise, or do they just call? Do they have an aggressive or, conversely, passive play style?
How often do your opponents take the initiative - how often do they play their hands? Consider the fact that poker professionals recommend playing no more than 20% of hands - and, accordingly, in 80% of cases simply being content with the role of observer. If your opponent tends to play hands more often, then, most likely, he is prone to unnecessary risks and bluffs - and this is easier to catch your opponent.
What is the position of your opponents in relation to the dealer? Position is very important in Texas Hold'em, but when choosing a strategy for playing Omaha poker, you should not underestimate the importance of your opponents' position.

The Omaha poker discipline attracts many beginners with its dynamic gameplay and frequent play of high pots. However, it is quite difficult to succeed in it, since the strategy for Omaha is very different from that used in Hold'em. In addition, novice players experience a lack of training materials. The fact is that success in this type of poker depends largely on the ability to logically assess the strength of your hand and the prospects of its play. This cannot be learned by simply reading the instructions - training and appropriate analytical skills are required.

Starting card evaluation

In Omaha poker, the strategy for a successful game is based, first of all, on the choice of starters. Here, unlike Hold'em, there are no ready-made charts that tell you which cards and in what position can be played profitably and what actions should be taken Preflop.

Having received a starting hand, the player needs to examine its composition to determine its prospects, determining the presence of the following combinations:

Matches by suit - there may be no matches, but if there are one or two, they increase the likelihood of getting a Flush combination when the board opens.
Connectors – form a rank order by rank and increase the likelihood of making a Straight postflop.
Pairs are matches at face value.

The starting cards are especially powerful due to the presence of connections between these combinations. The more there are, the better. For example, connectors can be the same in suit or be of different suits, but coincide in them with other cards.

The power of combinations and connections

The listed combinations can be weak or strong - this is influenced by various factors:

Matches by suit - if the cards are not adjacent in rank, then the greater the difference between their denominations, the worse.

A good option:

Weak option:

Connectors - the lower their value, the weaker the cards.

Strong connectors:

Weak connectors:

Pairs - strength also depends on rank, for example, the weakest is a Pair of Twos, and the strongest is a Pair of Aces.

These characteristics reflect the strength of the combinations, but their prospects as a whole are assessed not only by individual combinations, but by the connections between them.

Example: Here the player has connectors - Ace-King, suited cards Ace-Queen and Pair on Aces. As you can see, the same cards are used in different combinations.

The starter shown in the example is strong because it has: the highest Pair, connectors that allow you to build the strongest Straight and two suit matches that provide the probability of making a Flush with an Ace. It is promising for playing Raze as it provides outs for drawing up several poker hands at once.

The strongest starters

Based on the above information, we can identify a number of starting hands that are most promising for the draw. Players who play Omaha according to strategy consider their 30 options to be the strongest:

The table shows only denominations, since the suit can be different, and it is difficult to present all possible combinations in one table.

The following options are distinguished based on the number of matches by suit:

Suited are the worst, since the whole hand is of the same suit, which reduces the outs for getting a Flush on the board;
Double-suited - two groups of cards match in suit - ideal strength, since outs are provided for two different Flushes at once;
Three-suited - only two cards match the suit, and they have average strength, given that there are only outs for one type of Flush;
Four-suited - the player will not be able to make a Flush, since there are no matches in the suits.

The number of outs on a Straight also depends on the composition of the starting combination. Neighborhoods at par are called rows. In this case, there are straight rows - where three or four cards form a sequence and broken rows, where, in combination with connectors, one or two cards can participate in the construction of a Straight, but are not adjacent in rank.

Example 1: Here the poker player has a straight row.

Example 2: The row is broken, but the King can be part of the Straight.

Raise preflop

In Omaha, preflop aggression is used much less frequently and you should choose your starting hand more carefully. The main combinations that are suitable for entering Raise trading are as follows:

Suited AK or better with XX, where X is a Ten or a picture;
Two-suited rows without breaks from Five and better;
Two-suited broken rows from Five and better, having one gap between high or low cards or between a low and three high cards, for example - KQJ9.
Double suited KKXX or higher.

Remember that in most cases the tables have a fixed bet format, so a high Raise can only be made if your opponents have already bet or raised before you. Particularly high pots are played in multipots, which require more frequent entry preflop, even with average starters. In this case, you need to pay attention to the chances of the bank - the ratio of the bet and the pot should be such that the winnings compensate for the costs in all similar situations when the bank fails to win.

Postflop

The tactics come down to simpler lines of play than in Hold'em:

Combination protection - having received an unbeatable hand on the Flop or Turn, a poker player must bet to prevent his opponents from cheaply looking at the Turn or River, which could change his position.
Building up the bank - you can use standard techniques of Check-Raise, Bet-Raise, etc., which allow you to create a large bank, having an invincible layout, the strength of which cannot be worsened by subsequent cards.
Minimizing losses - you should learn to easily give away the pot without having a ready-made combination and a high number of outs to make it. You should also not make or compare high bets unless your hand is the strongest possible on the current board.

Players make profits from the right choice of starters and making strong combinations post-flop. Bluffing techniques are extremely rarely used here, especially if there are more than two players in the bidding.

Hi-Lo format

The Omaha Hi Low strategy is different from the Hi variant. When choosing starters, Ace combinations with small denominations are especially valued - from Two to Five, which allow you to make the best Low and lower Straights. Essentially, one part of the hand should allow you to make a high combination, as in the High variant, and the second should be its mirror image. Combinations without an Ace with a small card are played here extremely carefully. Postflop, even with the best Low, the poker player must always take into account that the opponent may have a combination similar to the Low, as a result of which the pot may be quartered when split.

The player's goal should not be to win half the pot, especially when playing with one opponent. When analyzing the hand and board composition, the player must evaluate the probability of winning both halves of the pot! The best options allow you to simultaneously assemble a strong Low and an invincible How combination. In some hands, the board does not allow you to make a Low and here the game should be played using the same tactics as in the High format.

When playing Omaha poker according to strategy, poker players must take into account the fees at cash tables. In the Hi-Lo format, rake can cause a losing game when splitting into two large pots, in the formation of which other participants in the hand did not participate.

If two players divide the pot equally, returning the chips invested in it, but at the same time losing part of the money on paying the poker room commission. In such cases, if there is not a sufficient probability for both banks to win, it is sometimes better to trade passively.

Hi-Lo format tournaments

In tournament events, different tactics are chosen. Since rake is not charged from played pots, aggression allows you to knock your opponents out of trading without the risk of being left at a loss. The best hand in the Hi-Lo format is a Straight from Ace to Five. But a guarantee of getting a full pot or at least 3/4 of its size is provided by the presence of such a Straight and Nuts - an invincible High combination.

In these poker disciplines, the strategy is based on the choice of starting hands and the most profitable play of strong combinations and unfinished draws with a large number of outs. To learn how to correctly estimate outs, it is recommended to practice on a poker calculator, for example: . Enter different starting hands and different numbers of opponents to understand how promising a particular combination is in the game against a different number of opponents in the bidding.