I was playing Omaha 8 today and pondering the disconnect we sometimes have between our great starting hands vs. great flops (for someone). Several times I was dealt powerhouse hands, like AA23 double suited, only to see a flop that destroyed my great start. Think of a flop like 9/10/J with either two or three of one of the suits you don't have. You have no low draw, and really no high draw either without running cards, ace and pairing the board. You have to sadly fold. It is especially bad on some of the aggressive tables where it is often raised or capped preflop. Naturally, with a big starting hand like that you are merrily raising and calling with the herd.
Now compare this with a starting hand you would never play except in an unraised big blind. Say, K, 9, 7, 2 rainbow. Trust me, if it is raised preflop this bad boy is going straight to muck heaven. However, sometimes everyone limps (actually, in O8, this happens a lot). I might even limp with this hand from the small blind with 8 limpers. Anyway, the flop comes down 9/9/2 and it is capped after your opening bet...and in omaha, slow play is not the way to play the game. This game can be so easy!!! Of course, with the board paired you are now fading all overpairs, a 9 with a bigger kicker, and even runner small cards to steal half your pot!!!
So, the question remains. Do you prefer great starting hands, or great flops? This brings us to the eternal question of what hands are playable in poker. I am coming to realize that many hands are worth playing if the conditions are right as far as position, chip stack, and table image.
Some of the lessons I learn playing omaha are so translatable to holdem, but others are not (at least I think not). One of the things I am learning to do is to not chase the non-nut hands. I refuse to chase straights or flushes if the board is paired. Sometimes I fold the best hand, but overall feel that most of the time you are drawing dead. Some players will call or even bet with small flushes or straights when the board has flush possibilities or full house potential. I think this is a losing strategy, as they are often betting as advertised. Also, not drawing to low hands unless they are the nuts, and unless I flop 2 low cards. Runner runner low is not a way to make money in this game. Of course, sometimes you are trapped in a large pot where it is a mistake to fold either a low flush draw, or non-nut low.
I like to follow the "flop it or drop it" rule for the most part. That relates to the first part of my blog. If you get a bad flop, you only compound it by chasing. A good example is starting with pocket kings. The flop pairs a smaller card, there is a bet and a raise to you. Fold. Simple. Or, an ace on the flop but everyone checks. Don't bet. Someone just doesn't like their kicker.
Another trap hand in omaha is two pair, or sometimes even 3 pair on the flop. I have lost a ton of money on this. Consider your hand J/10/A/2. Very playable. The flop comes down J/10/2 with two clubs. You have no clubs. There is a bet and a raise in front of you. Great time to fold. You are drawing to at best maybe 3 outs. You are way behind JJ, 10/10, AA, A2, and any two clubs. You have no low draw. No good will come from this hand in my experience.
Now compare this with a starting hand you would never play except in an unraised big blind. Say, K, 9, 7, 2 rainbow. Trust me, if it is raised preflop this bad boy is going straight to muck heaven. However, sometimes everyone limps (actually, in O8, this happens a lot). I might even limp with this hand from the small blind with 8 limpers. Anyway, the flop comes down 9/9/2 and it is capped after your opening bet...and in omaha, slow play is not the way to play the game. This game can be so easy!!! Of course, with the board paired you are now fading all overpairs, a 9 with a bigger kicker, and even runner small cards to steal half your pot!!!
So, the question remains. Do you prefer great starting hands, or great flops? This brings us to the eternal question of what hands are playable in poker. I am coming to realize that many hands are worth playing if the conditions are right as far as position, chip stack, and table image.
Some of the lessons I learn playing omaha are so translatable to holdem, but others are not (at least I think not). One of the things I am learning to do is to not chase the non-nut hands. I refuse to chase straights or flushes if the board is paired. Sometimes I fold the best hand, but overall feel that most of the time you are drawing dead. Some players will call or even bet with small flushes or straights when the board has flush possibilities or full house potential. I think this is a losing strategy, as they are often betting as advertised. Also, not drawing to low hands unless they are the nuts, and unless I flop 2 low cards. Runner runner low is not a way to make money in this game. Of course, sometimes you are trapped in a large pot where it is a mistake to fold either a low flush draw, or non-nut low.
I like to follow the "flop it or drop it" rule for the most part. That relates to the first part of my blog. If you get a bad flop, you only compound it by chasing. A good example is starting with pocket kings. The flop pairs a smaller card, there is a bet and a raise to you. Fold. Simple. Or, an ace on the flop but everyone checks. Don't bet. Someone just doesn't like their kicker.
Another trap hand in omaha is two pair, or sometimes even 3 pair on the flop. I have lost a ton of money on this. Consider your hand J/10/A/2. Very playable. The flop comes down J/10/2 with two clubs. You have no clubs. There is a bet and a raise in front of you. Great time to fold. You are drawing to at best maybe 3 outs. You are way behind JJ, 10/10, AA, A2, and any two clubs. You have no low draw. No good will come from this hand in my experience.
2 comments:
I wish there were more Omaha games around here. The only one I know of is at Jokers and I don't really like playing there. I would like to get better at it & I don't play on the computer, so I'm sort of stuck.
Is that a 7-2 I see you playing in that photo? Bad boy.
Realizing the obvious is that we want great flops still makes me patient to wait for great starting hands. Realized today, playing 10/20 limit holdem online that the games at the moose all suck. I could not win at that game due to the huge number of limpers on every hand. it did not seem to matter how good my starters were, someone would make 2 pair, crummy flush, etc. just like the moose. And, the rake kills you. No limit holdem is the only game to play, and tournament-wise, the super turbo 10 minute blinds in the 10 a.m. tourney is also a crap shoot.
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