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Q&A #69: Limit Omaha High Starting Hands

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I’ll break out of my norm and answer a non-hold’em question today. Though I’ve played a fair amount of non-hold’em poker, I generally consider myself weaker on the other games than on hold’em, so I try to stick to hold’em-related questions. However, I felt I could write something worth reading on this topic. Durum asks,

I need to learn how to play omaha quick. The 15-30 has dried up so we are now playing 10-20 mix 1 round of omaha 1 round of hold’em. The good news is the fish are back and loving it. The omaha game is incredibly loose and in turn seems to carry over to the hold’em rounds.(It’s actually amazing how this has turned what was fast becoming a dry game)

The problem is i don’t know how to play omaha very well (we play for high only) there isn’t much info out there except for omaha hi lo or omaha 8 or better so i’m really at a loss for starting hands.

Average players pre-flop is 7-10 few raises however if a certain villain is playing, then every hand will be raised once pre-flop until he’s no longer “in the mood”. The play post flop is again very loose and fairly passive.

So in a very loose omaha game what hands should i be looking to play?

Can i get away with playing very very tightly pre-flop? Or does the nature of the game force you to play a fair number of hands?

Pretty much whenever there are 7-10 players to the flop, you can get away with playing very tightly. And I think you should play very tightly while you get your feet wet. In general, I think it’s a lot easier to learn to loosen up here and there after playing tight than it is to learn to tighten up when you’re overly-loose. And tight play preflop will put you on more solid ground after the flop, which will be good for getting a feel for postflop play, as well as good for your mindset.

Before I start, I want to recommend a short, easy read that discusses limit Omaha on exactly your level. Omaha Poker by Bob Ciaffone is the book you’re looking for. It’s short, sweet, and easy to follow.

So here are my basic guidelines. They’re intended for someone new to limit Omaha who wants to get up and running (and hopefully winning) as soon as possible. It’s not optimal advice, it’s simple and effective advice.

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12 Responses to “Q&A #69: Limit Omaha High Starting Hands”

Pawel
@ Mon Apr 30, 2007 04:10:30 PM
1

Ed,
thanks a lot!
Omaha is tempting, specially after having a look at Steve Badger’s pages. I hope you will address some Hi/Low issues as well, it is probably a bit more popular today.
Pawel

BTR
@ Mon Apr 30, 2007 06:12:49 PM
2

Thanks a lot Ed, I’ll have to pick up a copy of Bob’s book.

SKZ
@ Tue May 01, 2007 02:43:57 AM
3

i hope you address PLO beacause it is all the rage, and limit omahe hi is rarely played.

ps. whats the PNL status.

Matt Ruff
@ Tue May 01, 2007 10:30:49 AM
4

I’d love to hear your thoughts on PLO8 and NL08, as well, since there’s literally been nothing written about that.

Thomas
@ Tue May 01, 2007 12:00:49 PM
5

What do you think of point systems like the one at http://www.homestead.com/ehutchison/OmahaSystem.html , for the absolute beginners?

Ed Miller
@ Tue May 01, 2007 12:03:52 PM
6

I’ve played a fair amount of limit Omaha, but very little PLO and PLO8, so I won’t have much of value to say about those games until I get some more hours in.

The PNL status looks good now. Mason has the manuscript and it looks like it’s now on the track to get printed. Mason is saying mid-July as of now.

Ed Miller
@ Tue May 01, 2007 12:10:37 PM
7

My experience with point systems has been negative. I don’t think they are flexible enough (in general) for poker… even for beginners.

I remember the hold’em point system was really bad. Omaha might lend itself somewhat better to point systems, but I’m skeptical that they can be meaningfully helpful.

Matt Ruff
@ Wed May 02, 2007 06:37:46 PM
8

Just an idle thought… If you do get some PLO or PLO8 experience under your belt in the next seven or eight months, a short-stack strategy would make an awesome Christmas present for your devoted fans.

9

[...] by pmpoker on May 2nd, 2007 MIller writes: In a loose limit Omaha high-only game, you’re basically looking to flop one of three things [...]

Billy
@ Fri Jul 06, 2007 09:48:10 AM
10

Please advise where this game is I love limit omaha. Thanks.

magicfingers
@ Tue Jul 01, 2008 08:38:57 AM
11

I am getting a little sick and tired of people saying stuff like I will try to answer a non Holdem question. Omaha is Holdem. Get it right people! There are 2 Holdem games. Give Omaha its due respect. It is Omaha Holdem. Not PLO Omaha, or plain old Omaha.

AKQJ10
@ Fri Jun 03, 2011 12:28:33 PM
12

I went looking for LOH resources given that the only mid-limit game in Detroit is a round-by-round mix of LHE and LOH. Glad to find this!

Compared to PLOH, it’s clear that low flush draws add a lot less to a hand. In deep PLOH you’re much happier if your wrap+low FD can freeroll a similar wrap, made straight, etc. You can deny a naked NFD odds to chase, although they may chase anyway. In LOH you’re going to get called by the same wrap/straight in one hand and the big FD in another hand, so you’re really just hoping to make a straight on a rainbow board.

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