Starting Hands. Part 2

Hands with sequences

Example of hand with medium sequence: 9 ♠ 8 ♠ 7♣ 6♦.

Example of hand with top sequence: A ♣ K ♥ J ♣ T ♠.

Example of hand with youngest sequence: 6 ♦ 5 ♣ 4 ♠ 3♣.

Hands with sequences are very important in pot-limit Omaha.

If the sequence is young, such as 6-5-4-3, its suit will have value only when you play one on one. If you have several opponents who make raise and re-raise, then in such situations one of the opponents will have higher flush draw.

Sequence is a great "straddling" hand. If you have studied your opponents, and you know that one of them makes a raise on the aces, and the second calls on high suited connectors. Now they are both in play, and you're holding something like a 7-6-5-4. You think: "If on the flop come young or medium cards, then pot will be mine. So you can safely continue to play such hand. Although, if you have one opponent, you should not play with such cards. Playing one on one, you will not call a large raise, having such hand.

Suppose you have made two pairs on the flop and you know that your opponent plays with aces. You are a favorite. But as soon as on the flop came a pair (any pair, not yours), you will automatically lose. With these cards it is very dangerous to play.

Another category of playing hands with sequences is three cards and a pair (8-8-7-6, 7-7-6-5, 9-8-7-7, and so on).

If you know that you are playing against a top pair, and you made medium pair on the flop in addition to your straight draw, then at this point you are a favorite. If on flop comes your eight, it is likely that it will not be associated with high pairs of opponents, so that they can not make a straight (unless some back-door straight). So, almost any three-card sequence in combination with a pair may be very good playing hand. 

I said "almost", you should forget such combinations as 4-3-2-2. The danger lies in a possible situation "set against set", and usually it is impossible to make nuts straight on the flop with these cards. If you ever decide to play this hand, then only if you are on big blind and no one made a raise, or from late position, making the minimum call.

Starting Hands. Part 1

The best starting hands in Pot-Limit Omaha are:

1. Double-suited A-J-A-T and other high hands with aces and connectors;

2. A-A-K-K and other hands with aces and high pairs;

3. Hands with four-card connectors in which all four cards are linked;

4. A pair of aces without connectors (minimal bet);

5. A pair of kings without connectors (minimal bet).

 High pairs with connectors

Despite the fact that the computer program shows that the best starting hand is double-suited A-K-A-K, many professionals think that this is wrong. They think that the best starting hand is double-suited A-J-A-T. With A-K-A-K you can make only one straight and with A-J-A-T you can make several straights. 

If you have A-J-A-T, you also will be able to make the nuts flush. Such cards, however, do not come often, but if you have them in your hands, then with them you will have the opportunity to make a much more combinations than with A-K-A-K.

Size of bets in Omaha poker

How to determine the size of your bet in pot-limit Omaha? It is abundantly clear that you bet size of the pot, if you have a good hand. The concept of constructing the pot, used in pot-limit Hold'em, is not applicable for pot-limit Omaha, because pots banks in Omaha are formed automatically.

Frankly, nobody raises less than size of pot. You'll never see that in the bank is $ 500, and somebody bets $ 100. "In other words, you do not have to make a small bet, to win a big pot. But from time to time many bad players do this. Their small bet contains a hint. They show that they have a powerful combination, and they want you to call their bet. Inexperienced or weak player, who fears that he will not receive a call, can bet $ 100. But if you do the standard bet, rather than adhere to any complex system, your opponents will not know on what you play, comparing the size of your bet and the strength of your combination.

Remember, in pot-limit Omaha pot will always be large enough

Remember that pot-limit Omaha always form a sufficiently large bank. You do not need to build it before the flop - it will form itself. This game will pull money from you before you know it. You play, win four or five small pots $ 500 or $ 1000 each, so that now in front of you is $ 4000, but you can put down all $ 4000 in the pot before the flop in the next deal on a decent hand!