Omaha Poker Source http://www.omahapokersource.com Just another WordPress weblog Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:46:34 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 How to Play NL Hold ‘em with a Short Stack http://www.omahapokersource.com/general-poker/how-to-play-nl-hold-em-with-a-short-stack.htm http://www.omahapokersource.com/general-poker/how-to-play-nl-hold-em-with-a-short-stack.htm#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:43:09 +0000 admin http://www.omahapokersource.com/?p=158 March Madness Picks.]]> This is a guest post from March Madness Picks:

Inevitably at some point in your poker playing career you’re going to find yourself sitting at a table with a short stack. Hopefully it will be the final table, but if not a good strategy just might help to get you there. The most popular strategy (and usually the only logical option you have) is a push/fold one.

Short Stacking in Tournament Play

The first thing you need to do when you are short stacked in a tournament is to assess how long you have before you will have to go all in. For example, if you have 1000 in chips and the blinds are 250/500 it won’t be long before the blinds will take your stack anyway. Depending on your table position, you may have one hand or several before the blinds hit you. If they hit before you make your move, then they will be making the move for you. The better option is to take the first decent hand that comes along and go all in.

If you have a short stack that allows you to play several hands, then you have a little more breathing room but ultimately are still looking for a chance to push. Knowing your opponents is especially crucial at this point. Those with bigger stacks know that you are going to have to make a move, and a smart, aggressive player may challenge you. Another short-stacked player however is unlikely to, as is a tight player, making it possible for you to build your stack steadily by stealing blinds. Alternately, if you happen to luck into a hand you would be happy to put your chips behind anyway, the aggressive players building the pot could ultimately be the ones that keep you in the game.

Final Table Strategy

If you are sitting at the final table, you have some additional factors to consider. One, how many of your opponents are also short-stacked? How many players have significantly larger stacks than you? What place would you be in now, and what’s the payout difference between that place and the next highest one? If there is another short-stacked player slowly fading away, and the difference between the payout for this placing and the next is significant, it may be smarter to avoid pushing until after they do if your stack can hold out that long. This does not mean you should pass on hands with potential, just that you might wait to push, ensuring that if you do go out, you’ll earn the extra payout of the improved placing.

Ultimately a short-stacked player has only one option—to push. If you do not take that option you will lose anyway, so the basis of your strategy will always be choosing the best time to make your final stand.

]]> http://www.omahapokersource.com/general-poker/how-to-play-nl-hold-em-with-a-short-stack.htm/feed 0 What Is Slow Playing in Poker? http://www.omahapokersource.com/general-poker/what-is-slow-playing-in-poker.htm http://www.omahapokersource.com/general-poker/what-is-slow-playing-in-poker.htm#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:19:13 +0000 admin http://www.omahapokersource.com/?p=155 Slow playing is often referred to as the opposite of bluffing. Where the point of a bluff is to bet in a way that implies you have a stronger hand than you actually do, the point of slow playing is to underbet on a strong hand to give your opponents the impression that it is weaker than it actually is. To many beginners this seems counter-intuitive, but when the blinds are big and many players are quick to fold, slow playing may be the best way to get the pot your hand deserves.

When to Slow Play a Hand

There are a few conditions that make a slow play the optimal move. For one, you should be very certain that you already have the best hand. Furthermore, you should have plenty of outs available to improve your hand, as you are allowing your opponents to draw better hands too. The pot should be low (initially) and you should feel certain that betting aggressively will cause other players to fold, significantly reducing the final value of your pot. Slow playing is one of the few moves where an early position has an advantage, because it tells the players after you have a weak hand, whereas a late position player calling may just be satisfied with what has already been contributed to the pot.

Slow Playing Strategies

Suppose you are playing Hold ‘em and are dealt a pair of oh-so desirable pocket Aces. As mentioned above, if you are in the final rounds and the blinds are high, a big bet will cause most players looking for a chance to go all in to fold. If you want to keep as many players contributing as possible, you have two options. First, you can check and hope someone else does the betting for you. Second, you can place a weak bet. Late in the game, many players are betting on marginal hands, so a weak bet is unlikely to wave any red flags.

Let’s say the flop is AJ10 with the J10 suited. Obviously the flop has improved your hand significantly, and there is a good chance one of your hole cards is suited to the J10 for an outside chance at a flush or straight. Of course it is important to remember that this hand also offers outs to your opponents. Should one draw a straight, your three of a kind has been beaten. One of the biggest mistakes amateurs make when attempting a slow play is not knowing when to make their move. If you are satisfied with the pot and your hand is now being threatened (as in the example above), then you should bet more aggressively the second round. Only slow play a hand as long as you are sure that it is the best hand at the table.

]]> http://www.omahapokersource.com/general-poker/what-is-slow-playing-in-poker.htm/feed 0 PL Omaha Cash Game Tips http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/pl-omaha-cash-game-tips.htm http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/pl-omaha-cash-game-tips.htm#comments Wed, 27 May 2009 14:46:14 +0000 admin http://www.omahapokersource.com/?p=132

PL Omaha Cash Game Tip #1

If you’re going to take the plunge and become a regular at the pot limit Omaha cash games, then you’re going to need all the help you can get to keep your head above water. Even experienced Omaha players will tell you that pot limit Omaha is incredibly challenging, and that the big bets this game often features can make or break your whole bankroll. Still, if you find yourself winning regularly at the limit tables, and you feel you have the skills necessary to duke it out at pot limit Omaha, then read on for the PL Omaha cash game tips that are sure to save you some hurt.

Full TiltDid you know Full Tilt Poker has some of the best Omaha Poker action online? They have limits from $0.01 all the way up to $1000. There are also plenty of Omaha sit-n-gos and multi-table tournaments to satisfy your cravings. Check out the Full Tilt Review or Play Now.

PL Omaha Cash Game Tip #2- Watch Your Opponents

With so much riding on pot limit Omaha hands, you want to be absolutely sure that every bet you make is the right one. Never before has it been so important that you peg whatever opponents that you can. While most smart players choose a tight strategy for PL Omaha, some of the more aggressive players use the high stakes to push less experienced or courageous players around. Once you’ve got a good hand, don’t be afraid to stick to it. If you come up against a calling station, in most cases it can only end in your favor—either they’ll continue to pump what is ultimately going to be your pot, or they’ll eventually realize the seriousness of your bets and fold.

PL Omaha Cash Game Tip #3 – Choose Your Hands Wisely

This Omaha tip goes for any virtually any variation of the game, but in pot limit it’s especially important that you bide your time and place your bets carefully. With the three-card flop, it’s easy to convince yourself that it’s worth the initial betting just to see what you draw, but in pot limit even a single round of betting can get pretty expensive. Furthermore, if your hand remains mediocre you’ve got to make the same decision about the second round. This is how many players rationalize their bankroll to death. Just one more bet…just one more card. Remember that it’s not a game of luck so much as omaha strategy, and your strategy should be to minimize unnecessary losses.

]]> http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/pl-omaha-cash-game-tips.htm/feed 2 Common mistakes of Omaha and Omaha Hi Lo http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/common-mistakes-of-omaha-and-omaha-hi-lo.htm http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/common-mistakes-of-omaha-and-omaha-hi-lo.htm#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 13:42:25 +0000 admin http://www.omahapokersource.com/test/?p=49 poker-cardsForgetting that you are playing Omaha and not Omaha H/L
This happens more than you think, you jump into a cash game and start playing for low without realizing it is not H/L. Be sure you double check.

Playing a hand that has three or four of a kind
Remember you can only use two of the cards, so throw the other one or two out the window. This already limits you from hitting a three of a kind with any community cards. Most of the time the best hand you are going to make out of this is just a pair or two pair depending what is on the board. Try to avoid playing these hands at all cost regardless if it is 3 aces.

Overplaying Ace/Two in Omaha H/L
Don’t’ fall in love with Ace/Two thinking you are invincible. Several hands there is no low to begin, so your hand is useless. Also you have to watch out for other people holding ace/two as well and it could get your quartered.

Going all in with no low
Another common mistake in omaha is going all in with no low.  This is especially true when it is heads up. If you go all in with a player that has low, the best you can do is win high and most likely be a split pot.

Full TiltDid you know Full Tilt Poker has some of the best Omaha Poker action online? They have limits from $0.01 all the way up to $1000. There are also plenty of Omaha sit-n-gos and multi-table tournaments to satisfy your cravings. Check out the Full Tilt Review or Play Now.


Not using 2 of your hole cards
Do not forget that two of the four cards of yours must be used and three from the community. So to every get a flush you must have two of the suit not just one and four cards in the community.

Seeing too many flops
Don’t see too many pots in Omaha Poker games. Almost every flop you see you will tend to get a piece of it. This will make you chase the turn and river cards way too often, and thus costing you more of your chips.

]]> http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/common-mistakes-of-omaha-and-omaha-hi-lo.htm/feed 1 Omaha High Low Strategy http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/omaha-high-low-strategy.htm http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/omaha-high-low-strategy.htm#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 13:41:38 +0000 admin http://www.omahapokersource.com/test/?p=47 poker_cardsYou need extremely extensive math skills to play this game. There is no set strategy to playing Omaha. In fact, many professionals often have heated debates about this subject.

Omaha Hi/Lo Strategy Tips

Good starting hands in Omaha hi/lo would be A-A-2-3, suited aces, and A-2-Q-K. For a beginner, you should either just work on your hi cards or lo cards, until your comfortable with playing both. The less starting hands you play the better. A low hand is five different cards under 8 (8 included). Having ace suited is ideal. You also want to play hands like A2xx, 2345, and two high cards paired with two low cards.

I sometimes like to start hands from the small blind. Rather than being out of ‘position’ for the whole hand, I look at the small blind as one of the better positions in limit Omaha Hi/Lo. I can start the bet if I am at a table of passive players to raise the pot, I can check if I totally missed everything and am ‘surrendering’ and might get a free card. Or if I have a good hand, I have what I think is one of the more powerful plays. The small blind is the first position to check raise. I like that play because I want to increase the pot and get those drawing hands out that could beat me. Making them call a 2x limit bet makes the drawing odds much less for them. Since this is also a game of perception, if you check raise, then lead out with a bet, most opponents will perceive the strength of your hand to be better than it is.

Full TiltDid you know Full Tilt Poker has some of the best Omaha Poker action online? They have limits from $0.01 all the way up to $1000. There are also plenty of Omaha sit-n-gos and multi-table tournaments to satisfy your cravings. Check out the Full Tilt Review or Play Now.

I especially like that play if the button is a holdem player who has the ‘always raise in the button’ mantra. I can confidently check, knowing he’ll bet, and usually the button folds on the raise or the next lead out bet. That’s why I use the small blind as the best position in Limit Omaha Hi/Lo to attempt a bluff or semi bluff as well. With the promotion and popularity of the H.O.R.S.E games, I find there’s more interest in Omaha. I think the differences between playing in a tournament with escalating blinds and in a ring game are most evident in Omaha E/B. Tournaments can be well played by good holdem players (who play the person and position as much as the cards) once they learn the basics. Limit ring games (IMHO) are successfully played more on pot odds and the drawing possibilities of a hand.

]]> http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/omaha-high-low-strategy.htm/feed 0 Good Ole Ace Two – Omaha Hi Lo http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/good-ole-ace-two-omaha-hi-lo.htm http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/good-ole-ace-two-omaha-hi-lo.htm#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 13:41:13 +0000 admin http://www.omahapokersource.com/test/?p=45 poker_game_dogs5
One of the biggest downfalls of many new Omaha Hi/Lo players is not willing to fold Ace / Two. Players tend to think it is invincible and as long as you have it, you are guaranteed to win low. Several time you will see 3 people all in on a PL Omaha games and two people split the low with A 2 as their pocket cards and one person will win high.

First thing to remember is the several people can have Ace/Two in a hand and they are guaranteed to call it if they are dealt it. You always have to be cautious with a low flop if several people are in the flop. You can tell if several people are calling and trying to hit one more low card to have the nut low. Also realize that not every hand will have a qualifying low.

Full TiltDid you know Full Tilt Poker has some of the best Omaha Poker action online? They have limits from $0.01 all the way up to $1000. There are also plenty of Omaha sit-n-gos and multi-table tournaments to satisfy your cravings. Check out the Full Tilt Review or Play Now.

Chasing can become an epidemic while holding Ace/Two and flopping two low cards. Do not bet if you did not hit any high and are just chasing the low. Do not get sucked into to chasing if the other player bets big on the flop or turn and all you are doing is chasing one more low card. This will sometimes result in you getting quartered or losing the whole pot.

So do not fall in love with your Ace/Two like they are Aces in Holdem, don’t’ be afraid to fold them!

]]> http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/good-ole-ace-two-omaha-hi-lo.htm/feed 0 Trapping 101, How To Quarter Your Opponent http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/trapping-101-how-to-quarter-your-opponent.htm http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/trapping-101-how-to-quarter-your-opponent.htm#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 13:40:32 +0000 admin http://www.omahapokersource.com/test/?p=43 Quartering your opponent usually involves winning the high and splitting the low. A good hand for this involves you starting with ace/two with 2 other various cards.

The setup begins with you hitting a pair or better on the flop with a nut low draw. The player that is in the ... more]]> Quartering your opponent usually involves winning the high and splitting the low. A good hand for this involves you starting with ace/two with 2 other various cards.

The setup begins with you hitting a pair or better on the flop with a nut low draw. The player that is in the hand with you might also have ace two at this point and is chasing the one more low card. In this situation you do not want to bet big and scare the opponent. Bet a small amount just to raise the pot and get the player committed to the pot more. The turn card may or may not be a low card, but you still want to bet a small amount anyway. Most likely if you think the other player is just chasing low, they are not going to bet but will call for a small amount.

The final card is then dealt, giving you nut low and a possible high. At this point, the pot is fairly large. You now want to bet the pot. Your opponent also hit nut low but without the high. He is pot committed and calls. You have now quartered him, both splitting the low and you winning high. Remember there are several different scenarios to do this but the easiest is if you know that your opponent is chasing that low with you.

If you had bet big on the flop, the other player would have just folded because it was not worth it to chase (this sometimes does not apply to new players).

]]> http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/trapping-101-how-to-quarter-your-opponent.htm/feed 0 NL Omaha Hi Lo Poker Cash Games http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-hi-lo-strategy/nl-omaha-hi-lo-poker-cash-games.htm http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-hi-lo-strategy/nl-omaha-hi-lo-poker-cash-games.htm#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 13:39:43 +0000 admin http://www.omahapokersource.com/test/?p=41 Beware of NL Omaha Hi/Lo cash games. These games can get very juicy and going all in is very common for players. Be sure you have the bankroll to enter these. I would suggest at least 25 times the amount you buy into the game with. This will allow a ... more]]> Beware of NL Omaha Hi/Lo cash games. These games can get very juicy and going all in is very common for players. Be sure you have the bankroll to enter these. I would suggest at least 25 times the amount you buy into the game with. This will allow a couple rebuys if you need to without draining your bankroll. Do not plan on entering these games if you are afraid to put all your chips on the line in one bet.

NL Omaha Hi/Lo

NL Omaha Hi/Lo is more of a “gambling” game compared to PL Omaha Hi/Lo. Play is fast and the pots build up quick. Most of the players there are just trying to double up real quick and leave. You really never know with some plays if the player actually has something or is just trying to buy the pot with the big all in bet.

Full TiltDid you know Full Tilt Poker has some of the best Omaha Poker action online? They have limits from $0.01 all the way up to $1000. There are also plenty of Omaha sit-n-gos and multi-table tournaments to satisfy your cravings. Check out the Full Tilt Review or Play Now.

NL Omaha Hi Lo Tips

Limit your time at these tables. If you get up to over double your stack, I would suggest you leave. It will become to tempting to call some of the all-in bets since you have made some more cash. In the end you have no idea what will flop, so even a really good hand like AA23 could lose to 9 10 J Q. Trying avoiding calling an all-in pre-flop unless someone pushes into you and your holding AA23 doubled suited or similar. The big pots in NL Omaha Hi/Lo come from quartering an opponent. A good all-in bet would be if you have not low and good high as well. You are hoping that the other player calls with the low as well and you winning the high, winning ¾ of the pot.

I recently encountered a very juicy game of $5-$10 NL Omaha Hi/Lo at Full Tilt. This table was completely out of control. Several players were pushing all-in pre-flop with $200-$500. Over 50% of the people all-in had Ace /Two. Most hands were not great by any means. I ended up doubled up real quick when I had AKK3 and just winning the high. Players coming and going as they lost their stack or just doubled up and left.

Remember to wait for your hands because most of the players are just looking for a quick double up and usually push with a mediocre hand.

]]> http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-hi-lo-strategy/nl-omaha-hi-lo-poker-cash-games.htm/feed 0 General Omaha Strategy Points http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/general-omaha-strategy-points.htm http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/general-omaha-strategy-points.htm#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 13:39:04 +0000 admin http://www.omahapokersource.com/test/?p=39 If you are early on in your study of the game of Omaha and are coming from a background with another poker variant, here are three general strategy points for you to keep in mind as you play the game.

The importance of position. If you have played any kind of ... more]]> If you are early on in your study of the game of Omaha and are coming from a background with another poker variant, here are three general strategy points for you to keep in mind as you play the game.

The importance of position. If you have played any kind of poker game at all, then you already know how important position is. Position allows you to get information on the possible strength of the hands against you before you act and therefore it is a very valuable tool indeed.

In Omaha, the importance of position is exaggerated because of the number of cards in play. While there are more hands that can be formed from the extra amount of cards, there are also some hands that do not work together well with all four cards. You can figure out whether your opponent has four good cards that work well with each other or whether they have a halfway hand by how they bet and thus position has a greater importance in Omaha.

The 3 and 2 rule. This is a point that has been mentioned in other articles, but it is a point that is worth hammering home simply because it is the single largest pitfall that people tend to make when they first venture into Omaha territory. You can not make a legitimate hand in Omaha unless that hand consists of exactly three cards from the board and two cards from your hand. Repeat that sentence over and over to yourself until it becomes ingrained in your mind, because if you don’t remember that then at some point you are going to end up losing a lot of money in a hand.

Read your hand multiple times after the flop. If you are still early on in your Omaha education, this is something that you should definitely be doing. When considering all of the different combinations of three from the board and two from your hand, it is easy to miss one if you don’t have a trained eye. Therefore, read your hand twice as soon as the flop comes out, watch what all the other players to act before you do and then read your hand once more before you react. It is easy to miss draws to straights, full houses and straight flushes in your hand and it is also easy to add a false flush draw (three cards of the same suit on the board and one more in your hand) if you aren’t paying close attention to what is going on.

]]> http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-strategy/general-omaha-strategy-points.htm/feed 0 Game Points that Make Omaha Unique http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-poker/game-points-that-make-omaha-unique.htm http://www.omahapokersource.com/omaha-poker/game-points-that-make-omaha-unique.htm#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 13:38:44 +0000 admin http://www.omahapokersource.com/test/?p=37 While Texas Hold ‘Em is the most popular poker variant in North America at the moment, there are a number of regions in Europe and other parts of the world where Omaha is a game enjoyed by a larger number of people than Hold ‘Em. Many people say this is ... more]]> While Texas Hold ‘Em is the most popular poker variant in North America at the moment, there are a number of regions in Europe and other parts of the world where Omaha is a game enjoyed by a larger number of people than Hold ‘Em. Many people say this is because of the many elements in the game that make Omaha unique while others say it just illustrates preferential differences between people living in Europe and people living in the United States.

Well, while it would be difficult to answer that specific question in the time allotted, let us take a look at some of the points that make the game of Omaha unique and let you draw your own judgement as to who is correct.

Full TiltDid you know Full Tilt Poker has some of the best Omaha Poker action online? They have limits from $0.01 all the way up to $1000. There are also plenty of Omaha sit-n-gos and multi-table tournaments to satisfy your cravings. Check out the Full Tilt Review or Play Now.

The first thing that makes omaha poker unique is the number of cards that are in play. At a 10-player Omaha table, no matter what else happens, 48 of the 52 cards in the deck will be used. Forty cards will be used to make the hands of the players, five cards will be used to make the community card board and three cards will be used as burn cards in the construction of the board.

There is no other common poker variant in which so much of the deck is used on such a regular basis. The closest would be seven card stud and even in that game all of the players need to go all the way to Seventh Street before that kind of usage is seen. The free flow of cards in Omaha means that a lot more hands get made in Omaha and therefore unless you are familiar with a player’s maniac tendencies, you need to give strong bets a little more respect than you might otherwise be tempted to in Texas Hold ‘Em.

Another major point to consider in the uniqueness of Omaha, as you might already know, is the requirement of two cards from your hand and three cards from the board making up your five card poker hand. This is something that makes the game unique and far more strategic in nature; something that a lot of Hold ‘Em players fail to grasp initially. It is a conceptual leap to make and if you do nothing else in terms of getting yourself adjusted to Omaha, make sure that you drill this point into your head. It is the quintessential point of uniqueness about the game and the thing that makes it different from everything else.

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