Omaha
Omaha poker is very similar to the current worldwide favorite Texas Hold 'em, though there are a few major differences that can affect the ways you organize your game strategies and make your plays, both at the beginning and later on as the game progresses. Here are a few useful tips to keep you in the game and turn a losing streak into a winning one.
Never Play a Three of a Kind Hand
In Omaha poker, unlike Texas Hold 'em, each player is dealt four cards instead of two and must make the best hand possible out of the cards dealt on the table and two of the cards from their hand. In Texas Hold 'em, you have the choice to use one or both of the cards in your hand to make a play; however, in Omaha poker, it is required that you use two cards out of your hand regardless of what you see on the table.
If you are dealt a hand that has a three of a kind (such as three Aces, three Kings, or some other combination) bear in mind that you can only use two of these cards and not all three of them. That means that not only do you only have a pair rather than three of a kind but there is only one other card left in the deck that could possibly come down later on to give you a full three of a kind. Your chances of making a strong hand out of this are very slim as other players are more likely to be able to pull together a straight, flush or other combination that would allow them to dominate the round. If you start off with three of a kind, sit out that round and wait for the next one to start.
Draw Strategically
While your initial hand may not seem that excellent due to the cards you receive, pay close attention to what you could potentially make out of what comes later on as the game progresses. A starting hand of an Ace, Jack, six and three could actually turn out to be a strong hand if the flop yields something like a King, 10, and another high card or five, two and another, thus giving you two possible chances at a straight. Further, depending on the suits that you have in your hand and the suits on the flop, you also may have a very high chance at a flush or even a straight flush.
Since you have the ability to use any two cards in your hand that you wish to create the hand you will play at the end of the game, waiting for at least the flop to come can be in your favor. As you may be able to pull out a strong hand from something that may not seem substantial to begin with, pacing yourself and drawing strategically can allow you to come out ahead of your opponents who may not be paying as much attention to the possibilities of what the flop can hold as you are.
Read Your Opponent
As with all good poker strategy, reading your opponent is one of the key things to being able to successfully anticipate what your opponent will do throughout the course of the game. By being able to tell whether or not your opponent has a good hand, a weak hand, or even nothing at all, you can control the game in your favor and end up winning easily.
Some signs of nervousness due to changes in hands are uncontrollable fidgets or differences in behavior that exists when players have both strong and weak hands they are considering playing. These behavior differences can include changes in breathing, seating posture (leaning back or leaning forward), fidgeting with chips, snacking or drinking, swallowing uncontrollably, or a number of different physical signs that you may or may not be aware of that even you may be expressing at times.
Paying attention to the signs of other players, controlling your own, and learning to use your opponent's behavior to your advantage is one of the tools that all good poker players should have at their disposal, which in turn allows them to make informed decisions at the table when deciding whether or not to play. Just be mindful that your own body language can give away your hand to your opponents as well.
Never Play a Three of a Kind Hand
In Omaha poker, unlike Texas Hold 'em, each player is dealt four cards instead of two and must make the best hand possible out of the cards dealt on the table and two of the cards from their hand. In Texas Hold 'em, you have the choice to use one or both of the cards in your hand to make a play; however, in Omaha poker, it is required that you use two cards out of your hand regardless of what you see on the table.
If you are dealt a hand that has a three of a kind (such as three Aces, three Kings, or some other combination) bear in mind that you can only use two of these cards and not all three of them. That means that not only do you only have a pair rather than three of a kind but there is only one other card left in the deck that could possibly come down later on to give you a full three of a kind. Your chances of making a strong hand out of this are very slim as other players are more likely to be able to pull together a straight, flush or other combination that would allow them to dominate the round. If you start off with three of a kind, sit out that round and wait for the next one to start.
Draw Strategically
While your initial hand may not seem that excellent due to the cards you receive, pay close attention to what you could potentially make out of what comes later on as the game progresses. A starting hand of an Ace, Jack, six and three could actually turn out to be a strong hand if the flop yields something like a King, 10, and another high card or five, two and another, thus giving you two possible chances at a straight. Further, depending on the suits that you have in your hand and the suits on the flop, you also may have a very high chance at a flush or even a straight flush.
Since you have the ability to use any two cards in your hand that you wish to create the hand you will play at the end of the game, waiting for at least the flop to come can be in your favor. As you may be able to pull out a strong hand from something that may not seem substantial to begin with, pacing yourself and drawing strategically can allow you to come out ahead of your opponents who may not be paying as much attention to the possibilities of what the flop can hold as you are.
Read Your Opponent
As with all good poker strategy, reading your opponent is one of the key things to being able to successfully anticipate what your opponent will do throughout the course of the game. By being able to tell whether or not your opponent has a good hand, a weak hand, or even nothing at all, you can control the game in your favor and end up winning easily.
Some signs of nervousness due to changes in hands are uncontrollable fidgets or differences in behavior that exists when players have both strong and weak hands they are considering playing. These behavior differences can include changes in breathing, seating posture (leaning back or leaning forward), fidgeting with chips, snacking or drinking, swallowing uncontrollably, or a number of different physical signs that you may or may not be aware of that even you may be expressing at times.
Paying attention to the signs of other players, controlling your own, and learning to use your opponent's behavior to your advantage is one of the tools that all good poker players should have at their disposal, which in turn allows them to make informed decisions at the table when deciding whether or not to play. Just be mindful that your own body language can give away your hand to your opponents as well.
