What to look for in starting hands Part II: Pot Limit Omaha (1)

What to look for in starting hands Part II: Pot Limit Omaha (1)

A lot of hold'em players who are new to Omaha, have trouble adjusting to the game. This is partly because playing Omaha requires a different mindset than playing hold'em (because Omaha is a drawing game, and because therefore there isn't necessarily such a thing as "best hand" on the flop, like there is in hold'em), and partly because it's not as easy to know what to look for in a starting hand. (For those interested, Mr. Bob Ciaffone had an excellent chapter on this exact topic in his book "Omaha Hold'em Poker"). In the two articles on pot-limit Omaha in this series, I will discuss some of these starting hands- if, when and how they can be played for profit. Please note that the game here is pot-limit Omaha, high only. For PLO/8 (hi-lo, eight or better) totally different comments would apply.

Hand # 1: Ah Kc Qd Js
Analysis

A lot of hold'em players think this is a super hand, and treat it like it's the Holy Nuts. Even though it is a good Omaha hand, I am not too fond of it, actually. For a big part this is because the hand has no suits, which weakens the hand considerably, especially its potential to flop a big hand / big draw when lesser hands and weaker draws will pay you off. Even though you hold four connected cards, it's not that easy to flop a big wrap (if the flop comes T9x for example, you just play the KQJ, and your ace is practically worthless). What you want to flop with this hand is top two pair (giving you a gutshot straight as well, for example KJ6 rainbow), and face an opponent with the same two pair, but nothing extra. You will be freerolling with the ace, queen or ten: you are practically certain to get half the pot, but have a lot of outs to improve over your opponent to take the entire pot, free of risk. Some other excellent flops are JTx (top pair + wraparound straight draw), QJx, JJx when you're up against the other jack but not a full house, or QQJ. The quality of your hand lies in the fact that if you're up against someone holding QJ as well, all the money is likely to go in on the flop and you've got six outs twice (three aces, three kings) to improve over your opponent- and again, free of risk (as you can never lose). Hold'em players might think the best flop would be AAK, but how are you ever going to make money with your hand here? Pot-limit Omaha players know better than to keep calling with Axxx to try to make a full house. You might get some action if your opponent is in there with KKxx, but any reasonable player holding those kings will be deeply suspicious if there's a lot of action after he has bet, called or raised with his kings and will certainly not take his hand all the way to the river.

Early-position (EP)

Of course you are going to play this hand, but keep in mind it's not as strong as it seems at first glance.

Late-position (LP)

You've got a nice hand and a pot-building raise (note: this is NOT the same as a pot raise) is OK. Just beware that even if the flop comes the way you like (you flop top two pair with no made straight or flush possible) and there's been a bet and a raise when the action comes to you, your hand has become very marginal.

Against a raise

Against one raise this hand is usually playable, however against two it is usually not. A lot depends upon stack sizes and the psychology of the situation, but in most cases a second raise before the flop means aces, or kings with high cards. Whenever that's the case your hand is a big dog, and it should be mucked without a shred of doubt. There are other hands in Omaha you might want to play when up against aces, this one (big cards / no suits) is not one of them.

Hand # 2: Js Th 9s 8h
Analysis

Now, there's a real Omaha hand! Any good pot-limit player will know this is a premium hand, and in some cases might be worth your entire stack, even before the flop. You will hit a lot of excellent flops with these type of hands: straight + redraws, a big wrap, pair + wrap, two pair + open-ender, all possibly with a flush draw to go with it, creating the possibility of a HUGE draw. Still, it's important to emphasize that if you only flop a flush draw, with no other outs, then your hand should be mucked. It is only in combination with the big straight draw or the made straight that the flush cards become important. They may give you added redraw / freeroll possibilities, or may give you such a powerful draw that you have become a mathematical favorite over almost any made hand, and you might choose to play the draw aggressively, rather than passively.

EP

In PLO, I almost always come in for a baby raise whenever I'm the first one in; I hardly ever come in flat. You want to build a nice pot with this hand, which is very strong, even in early position. When you raise with these type of hands occasionally, your opponents might figure you for bigger cards than you have, and you might get a lot of action when you flop a monster like 765. Depending on stack size, the aggressiveness of your opponents and the exact type of flop, you might make a lot of money by going for the check-raise when the flop is favorable (when medium cards flop).

LP

You have a big hand, which is even stronger in late position. What you want is to create a big pot, and you don't mind having a lot of opponents in (in fact, the more, the merrier). Don't even think about just calling here. You have a raising hand- now treat it as such.

Against a raise

Against one raise your hand is definitely playable. In fact, I would sometimes re-raise rather than call simply to disguise my hand. If my opponents are figuring me for aces when I hold this type of hand, then I might make a lot of money if I hit the flop and bluff them out when I miss- a pretty favorable situation, to say the least. Against two raises (indicating aces) this hand is still playable, especially when there's enough money left to bet after the flop (implied odds). You don't mind being up against aces here, because your cards are live and opposed to the reraiser's hand. You do mind being up against someone holding the same type of hand you do, but just a little bit bigger (Qs Jh Ts 9h)- your premium hand is in VERY bad shape here.

Hand # 3: Js Jc 6d 2h
Analysis

A lot of hold'em players think this is a good hand, almost as good as a pair of jacks in hold'em. It is not. You've got no suits, no straight draws, nothing- the only thing you have is a pair of jacks. You have to flop a jack to continue playing, but that's not the main problem here. The problem is that even when a jack flops (with no overcards- you don't want to flop middle set in an unraised pot only to get excessive action), there will be many draws out against you: when you're up against a premium draw you might not be in as good a shape as you think you are. Take the flop JT2 rainbow- just about as good as it gets for your hand, right? Well, if your opponent is holding KQ98, he's got four aces, four sevens, and three kings, queens, nines and eights- 20 outs twice! If the flop comes with two of a suit, then it's even more power to the draw. Of course, you can still improve to a full yourself and sure, if you can get all your money in on the flop with the temporary nuts (top set), by all means do so. The thing with this hand is: a) you only got two cards; the best Omaha hands have four cards coordinate with each other, and b) you need to flop a jack, but this jack will almost certainly create serious straight opportunities, and you don't have any straight blockers in your hand (even the, still weak, JJ87 holding would be a lot better from this perspective).

EP

No way you are going to play this hand, not ever!

LP

On the button, you might want to call in an unraised pot, especially in a game with some relatively new and / or extremely loose players, who might pay off generously in case you flop a jack. Against tougher opposition, there's nothing to think about- you have an easy fold.

In the second part of this article on pot-limit Omaha, I will discuss four more starting hands, and the considerations if, when and how to play them. After that, in part III I will focus on limit Omaha, high only, and the differences between limit and pot-limit in the selection and actual play of hands. Take care, you guys, and good luck.