Omaha Poker Strategy
Omaha is one of the most popular poke variants right now, second only to Texas Hold’em. However, if you’re an avid Texas Hold’em player with a desire to try Omaha, you’ll find that the Omaha poker strategy greatly differs from Texas Hold’em.
Omaha offers the player 4 hole cards, not just two, which greatly widens your hand development options. Then again, it does the same for your opponents. What we’re trying to say is, you can’t expect to win Omaha with a pair of Aces anymore. You’ll need a solid, strong poker hand to win Omaha poker.
Omaha Poker Strategy – Starting Hands
Your starting hand has everything to do with whether you should place chips in the pot, or simply fold early, conserving your chips for a better hand. We’ll cover some good starting hands here, the ones you’ll want to move on with.
You’re going to have 4 hole cards to work with, but remember that you will only be able to use two of them. In fact, you must use 2 of them, combined with 3 community cards, to develop your final hand.
High Suited Connectors: These are the best starting hands in Omaha poker. Strategy-wise, you need to have as many outs as possible, hopefully with at least a straight in the end, so a few high suited cards are great.
Example: Ah-Kh-Ad-Qd
This would be an excellent starting hand. You have two Aces, so hitting another is a big plus. You also have A-K suited and A-Q suited, both holding potential for an Ace high straight, as well as an Ace high flush in hearts or diamonds. Should an Ace fall, and the board pairs, you have the Nut Full House.
With this hand, you’re looking at more than 20 outs to a better hand!
Example: Ah-Jd-Jc-Kd
Here is another good example of a good starting hand. The pair of Jacks have potential to make a set, or full house should the board pair. The K-J suited offer potential for a straight or Flush, while the A-K or A-J can also become a straight.
This hand has at least 15 outs to work with.
Example: Kh-Kd-5c-8c
The pocket Kings alone are not a strong hand. However, when you add in the 5-8 suited, you have potential for a Flush in clubs. This is still a questionable hand, and a player should not risk too much to see the Flop, but if it’s affordable to do so, see what the Flop has to offer before folding out.
Omaha Poker Strategy – Position
Your position has a lot to do with your hand strength, but not so much as in Texas Hold’em. With so much potential for good starting hands, a lot of players will stay in to see the flop. If you’re in late position and no previous bettors are showing strength, you may be able to drop everyone out, or at least greatly narrow the field, by placing a large raise. Make sure you have a good enough hand to back it up, in case you get some calls, and don’t risk more than 10% of your stack in the process.
Omaha Poker Strategy – Start Small
If you’re just beginning to play Omaha poker, it’s highly recommended to start at the lowest stakes until you get the hang of it. As we said, a good Omaha poker strategy is nothing like Texas Hold’em, and can take a little time to adjust to.
Only when you are winning consistently at the lowest stakes should you consider an increase. Move up a single level, and again wait until you are consistently winning before climbing the next rung of the stakes ladder. The higher the stakes become, the fiercer you can expect the competition to be.
