Omaha H/L vs. Hold'em

[Dr. Neau]

Well, I think I've played enough Omaha H/L to offer up my comparison of Omaha H/L compared to Hold'em.

In Limit Omaha H/L:
- There's a LOT less bluffing, because...
- Bluffing is a lot more pointless, because so many people can be playing so many different things...especially when there is a low on the board
- Raising pre-flop rarely does anything but build the pot...you won't chase anyone out because preflop EVERYONE has potential (a lot more than in Hold'em)
- It's a lot harder to build your stack than in Hold'em....but it's much easier to piss it away.

More to come.

[halfnelsen]

I've been playing online with play money to get a feel. I still really don't have a good feel of when to through away a hand. When you play to you have a method for ranking your starting hands?
4 lows call, low pocket pair call, high pocket pair call/raise? I know I like to push action preflop if I'm holding A 2. I know playing funney money is a lot different than real, but my goal is to play for real money.

[Pops28]

I've been playing online with play money to get a feel. I still really don't have a good feel of when to through away a hand. When you play to you have a method for ranking your starting hands?
4 lows call, low pocket pair call, high pocket pair call/raise? I know I like to push action preflop if I'm holding A 2. I know playing funney money is a lot different than real, but my goal is to play for real money.

In Omaha H/L high pocket pairs carry a lot less value then in Hold'em. This doesn't mean they aren't worth anything but you should have other possibilities to go with them. Everything I have ever read regarding H/L Omaha has stated that you should play hands that have the possibility of scooping the pot (taking H and L) and avoid playing for a split. A starting hand like AA23 double suited or even AA22 is a better starting hand then AAKK double suited as there is no possibility of scooping with the latter.

[Martini]

I've been playing online with play money to get a feel. I still really don't have a good feel of when to through away a hand. When you play to you have a method for ranking your starting hands?
4 lows call, low pocket pair call, high pocket pair call/raise? I know I like to push action preflop if I'm holding A 2. I know playing funney money is a lot different than real, but my goal is to play for real money.

Here is one person's system for ranking Omaha Hi/Lo hands:
http://www.ehutchison.homestead.com/OmahaSystem.html

He also has one for Omaha Hi only:
http://erh.homestead.com/omaha.html

His system assigns points for desirable attributes like high cards (or wheel cards for Hi/Lo), pairs, suitedness, connectedness etc. Add them all up and the bigger the number, the better the hand.

[Dr. Neau]

I've been playing online with play money to get a feel. I still really don't have a good feel of when to through away a hand. When you play to you have a method for ranking your starting hands?
4 lows call, low pocket pair call, high pocket pair call/raise? I know I like to push action preflop if I'm holding A 2. I know playing funney money is a lot different than real, but my goal is to play for real money.

A couple points...

- <insert my standard "playing online for free won't give you a very realistic experience">
- I throw a hand away when I don't feel I'll get a return on any further bets or calls (I know that's vague)
- 4 lows call?  What are the lows?
- Pushing action preflop when holding A/2 probably isn't the best idea.  You may be competing for 1/8th of the pot...
- What you start with depends on position
- Whatever I start with, the flop gives me a real good indication of whether or not it's worth continuing.
- I'll raise preflop with hot/cold disguised hands.
- If only one low card comes on the flop and I think I have a shot at high, I raise just to chase out anyone with hopes of a low.
- Spend a fair amount of brain cells thinking about this: "Assume I get the card I want on the turn...does it help someone else more than it helps me?"
- Don't chase.
- The most profitable pots will be when you have the wheel, using something other than A-2 (see below).
- Be very careful reraising unless you have the sole nuts for high/scoop.
- Be very very careful raising/reraising when you only have the low with no shot at the high.  You may be playing for 1/4th - 1/8th of the pot.
- Be very very careful thinking you'll win with a Q-high flush or the ass end of a straight.

Ideally, a good starting hand gives you a shot at both a low and a high.  I'll also play hands that give me a shot at a really good high if there's no low.  If I miss on the flop, then I get out right away.
Starting hands I liked yesterday:
- A run of 4.  For example: 9-10-J-Q or A-2-3-4.  5-6-7-8 is probably the worst....because if you gets cards that help that means you are playing for half the pot.
- A/X A/Y double-suited, especially if X and Y are a 2 and a 3...but even if they aren't.
- K-K-Q-J/K-Q-Q-J/K-Q-J-J/Q-Q-J-10/etc...

My biggest pots were from this starting hands:
- A-K-J-8 (from the BB). Flop was A-A-K. Scoop.
- K-9-8-3 (from the BB). Flop was K-9. Scoop.
- 2-5-7-8. Flop was A-4-10. Turn was a 3.  Pot was $250.  Scoop.

[Jambine]

.....It's a lot harder to build your stack than in Hold'em....but it's much easier to piss it away....

LOL.  As my old man likes to say, "It takes a little luck to get those chips, and a lot of skill to keep em".

[LabRat]

Omaha is the very definition of "grind," IMO.

[Dr. Neau]

.....It's a lot harder to build your stack than in Hold'em....but it's much easier to piss it away....

LOL.  As my old man likes to say, "It takes a little luck to get those chips, and a lot of skill to keep em".

I should elaborate.

There are a LOT of starting hands in Omaha H/L where you say to yourself, "hmmm...what's the harm in limping?"  then, if the flop semi-hits you, you might be tempted to say, "Hmmm....just another big bet..."  You must resist!