Omaha
This offers insight to the game that is both very simular and yet very different from Texas Hold'em.
Introduction
The basic mechanics of Omaha are the same as those of Texas Hold'em. The player is dealt his cards down, and then there is a flop, and turn and a river. If you are not familiar with the basics of Texas Hold'em, please review this section of our site first. The major difference between the two games is that in Omaha a player is dealt four cards and must use two cards from his hand and three cards from the board to make his best hand.
General Strategy
In limit Omaha, it usually takes a very good hand to win. This is why -
In Omaha players start with four cards. Each four card hand contains six Hold'em hands when the four cards are converted to all possible combinations of two. ie: ABCD = AB AC AD BC BD CD. All players must play two cards from their hands and three from the board. If you are in a pot with five other players after the flop, it is comparable to a Texas Holdem game against thirty other players. Each of your five competitors is holding six Hold'em hands instead of one. If you get down to the river with a very good hand, but one that can be beaten by some other two card combinations, brace yourself for a loss because they might be out there somewhere.. . . High end straights on the flop often run into serious problems when three suited cards or a pair hit the board. A flush or a full house could easally jump up to beat you. . . In Omaha, always play tight!
Just one or two good texas holdem hands are usually not a good starting hand in Omaha but many players can not resist the urge to play them. With four cards to choose from, these kinds of hands are easy get and Omaha games normally have more players and bigger pots than in Hold'em. The higher payoffs work to your advantage when you usually start with hands that contain four cards that all interact with each other to make about five or six decent Hold'em hands instead of only one or two. You will see a few exceptions to this here in the starting hands strategy.
Definitions
HIGH CARDS - A, K, Q, J, 10
MIDDLE CARDS - 9, 8, 7, 6
LOW CARDS - 5, 4, 3, 2
SUITED PLAYER HAND (S) - Two of the players four cards of the same suit.
DOUBLE SUITED PLAYER HAND (DS) - Two of the players cards of one suit and two of another suit.
ACTIVE SIDECARD -Sidecard that when combined with another makes a pair or part of a straight or flush.
NUT HAND - An unbeatable high or low hand. Sometimes called a "lock".
SET - Three of a kind with two of the three in your hand. ( Four of a kind split two and two is a "Big Set")
TRIPS - Three of a kind with all or two of the three on the board.
RAINBOW - Hand or flop etc. with cards of all different suits.
FLOP, TURN. RIVER - The community cards in the order of distribution. See top illustration.
FAST PLAY - Bet, raise and re-raise to get as many other players out as possible.
SLOW PLAY - Just check or call along to keep other players in the game to increase the pot odds.
CHECK-FOLD - Check when you can and fold if you are bet into. Gladly accept all free cards offered.
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