12 replies to this topic

[strategy]

I started playing Omaha hi/lo recently, and I don't know what my problem is. I seem to be on a constant downward spiral, despite playing better starting hands than everyone and using good, common sense as to when to get out of a hand. I don't think I'm really all that predictable because I get action in every pot I enter.A good example of what it's been like for me would be a hand I had tonight where I had a set of tens that happened to be the nuts until the river, when a queen hit. Guy with 39QQ rainbow scoops the pot.What am I doing wrong? Is there some general strategy to limit omaha hi/lo that I'm not following? Am I just running bad?Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[rxq]

Quote

that happened to be the nuts until the river

You won't believe how many times I heard that one, especially from myself. Omaha HL is a river game. With 45 cards out of 52 in play, it not hard to imagine that you need big hands to win the high and that card that wins comes on the river. I am always worried when I flop a big hand, because I know it can go south during the turn and the river.

[strategy]

rxq said:

Omaha HL is a river game.

Maybe I need to find a new game :)Are the swings in Omaha HL that magnified to where a single pot can decide a winning or losing session? If that's the case, I need many, many more bullets to play in 2/4. I can think of only one pot tonight where there was more than $120 in the middle, and I had the best of it until the river. Is it truly the case that one card can make or break a night?I would just like to hear a more experienced point of view on what I should expect with my results. I really don't intend to flood you with bad beat stories

[ahosang]

Omaha8 requires a little analysis when deciding what is a good hand. In the case of the set of 10s, you are just a victim of having a baby set. Also note that with a 10 on the board(making your set), there will be at least a low or str8 possibility on the board providing the board hasn't paired. Low sets are not too strong. In Omaha8, you should not be focussed on what is the current best made hand, but what the prospects are for the river. After the flop, you need to decide roughly, what your chances are. There may always be a lot of outs against you if you hold just a low set. Generally, it's a game of straights, flushes and houses. Sometimes big draws are favourite over current made hands on the flop. What about your play on scooping and low hands? Are you getting enough value when you do win pots? I'm assuming the games are loose, so you really should be able to get good value when you win to compensate for any losses. I don't think that one hand should make or break your session, that's more a case for pot-limit omaha8. If you keep playing good starting hands and play them well when the flop is favourable, you should be able to win in the long run - more so than in hold'em. I wouldn't give the game up because it's one of the best games for making money. If you need any specific hands that you want to review, or have other points you want to discuss, post in theOmaha section and I'll try and help.

[rxq]

Quote

Are the swings in Omaha HL that magnified to where a single pot can decide a winning or losing session? If that's the case, I need many, many more bullets to play in 2/4. I can think of only one pot tonight where there was more than $120 in the middle, and I had the best of it until the river. Is it truly the case that one card can make or break a night?  I would just like to hear a more experienced point of view on what I should expect with my results

:roll:

[JaysonWeber]

You should start playing this with a strict set of rules...I play it ultra conservative right now due to the limits I play it at etc...AA2x AA3x A2 X X Double Suited...It's a scoop game and trying to go after the high is risky, something I don't even bother trying to do as its not worth the risk, although once i get better at it I will pick my spots at this.I suggest reading SS2 the Omaha Hi/Lo section is great, and I'm beginning to understand it a lot better, as I'm already a decent Omaha high player its just getting used to the scoop... thats really all the game is about you have to start with hands that can get you a scoop (winning the high and low), if you start with other hands or hands that don't have an ace in them you're going to lose in the long run.

[Dick Danger]

If I have a good hi only hand that can see the flop for 2 bets or less I'll do it (I'm not playing pot limit yet). My math might be a bit off but I think you'll see a hi only flop about 25% of the time. And with a 2 card hi flop lots fo low only hands will pay off chasing a low. Drawing to the 2nd best hand can also cost you a lot.

[strategy]

rxq, I wasn't putting you down or anything :PThanks for the help, everyone. I'll definitely get SS2... the main reason I liked this game initially was that there is a lot of money being thrown around by a lot of players that clearly have no idea what they're doing. The fact that there AREN'T a million people writing books about this game and analyzing it to death like they are hold'em is what attracted me. I understood the basic concept that going for scooping was more important than just chasing the high or low... and I figured that was enough to beat most of the people that play.Anyway, thanks a million, and I'll certainly post again if I do see something interesting.

[AA23suited]

Clearly as with any poker game if one plays too many hands one will find that the leak is hard to control .There is more action in this game so common sense tells that if you limit your starting hands it will greatly reduce leaks in your gameAll the best,AA23suited :!:

[jayistheman]

JaysonWeber said:

You should start playing this with a strict set of rules...I play it ultra conservative right now due to the limits I play it at etc...AA2x AA3x  A2 X X Double Suited...It's a scoop game and trying to go after the high is risky, something I don't even bother trying to do as its not worth the risk, although once i get better at it I will pick my spots at this.I suggest reading SS2 the Omaha Hi/Lo section is great, and I'm beginning to understand it a lot better, as I'm already a decent Omaha high player its just getting used to the scoop...  thats really all the game is about you have to start with hands that can get you a scoop (winning the high and low), if you start with other hands or hands that don't have an ace in them you're going to lose in the long run.

dont forget hands like 10 J Q K... they dont have any low possibility at all... but when a flop hits hands like this, there is often no low possible.

[bsabres81]

Do forget hands like 10 J Q K in early position, or in a raised pot. This hand should show a profit when others have limped, signifying they have low cards in their hands. Don't play middle pairs like 10 10, unless you have exactly 10 10 A 2, or 10 10 A 3 (the ace probably needs to be suited in this case).

[strategy]

I actually had ATAT double suited. Is two pair a decent hand in Omaha h/l? Should it be treated like you said KQJT? Two pair is the only hand I'm really unsure of how to play.

[bsabres81]

Well, about like AQ in hold 'em, I curse every time I get a hand like AA1010ds. Its a hand you really want to play, because it looks beautiful. I try to play it a lot like KQJ10. I want to get in cheaply, and hope to flop high cards. You have to fold on the flop if 3 babies come, but can continue if any high cards come, and you have a set or nut flush draw. The problem is, you will often end up paying off hands like 2 low pair for extra bets when you think they are only betting a low. The KQJ10 actually plays pretty easy post-flop. Either you flop two pair and a str8 draw, top pair and a str8 wrap, or you fold.You don't want to play either of these hands in a raised pot, with the possible exception of trying to isolate someone who raises too often (when you have aces).