OMAHA RING GAME

[CHUCKIN8OR]

 Since the demise of On-Line poker for real money, me and a couple of friends are going through withdrawals and wanting to get together and maybe once a week or so get together and play Pot-Limit Omaha! Maybe 1-2 PLO! I was wondering if there is anyone on here who has a rule book and or/a list of rules or something explaining Pot-Limit Omaha more extensively! Roberts Rules really doesn't go into enough depth! A few things we are unclear how to handle! Especially doing Straddles and/or Miisissippi straddles! If anyone here can help I would be greatly appreciative!

[Martini]

Have you tried doing a search for "pot limit omaha rules"?

1-2 PLO tends to be way higher variance than 1-2 NLHE especially if the players are new to the game. If the players already used to play a lot of PLO online at those stakes then the home game shouldn't be any problem apart from going a lot slower to do pot sized bet calculations.

[CHUCKIN8OR]

 I played on JokerStars,I mean, Poker Stars web site! There ring games didn't have Straddles and/or Mississippi Straddles! I am primarily wanting to get a better understanding how those worked! After online gambling became illegal I have played several times at the casinos where straddles and/or Mississippi Straddles were common! I just don't fully understand how they work and was hoping to get a "RULES' listing or booklet on how it works so we can fully understand it! We want to do our own ring game so we can play for lightly lesser stakes then what the casinos offer!

[Martini]

If you Google "straddle poker" you'll find this article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betting_in_poker#Live_straddle) right up in the top portion of the page. Take a look at that and see if it answers your questions.

[Dr. Neau]

And separate "Omaha" rules from "how to I straddle?"  Two separate unrelated things (other than they are both poker things)

Omaha rules - easy to find

Straddle rules/guidelines - easy to find

"How to I straddle in Omaha??" - harder to find

[drillrod]

I really recommend against straddles in your first PLO game. Actually I don't see a need for straddles in PLO at all. Straddles are generally used to initiate action in a game that runs a bit smaller or tighter than the player would prefer. PL Omaha, which is a game of big made hands vs big draws vs bigger draws, already runs big.

Really - a 1/2 PLO game is most likely going to run much bigger than pretty much any 1/2 NLHE game you've played in, more like a 2/5 NLHE game or bigger. So even for a group that wants to gamble it up, just play the game. If you have gamblers and action players, the action will be there.

Second, managing PL betting live is a bit tricky the first couple of times you do it. Calculating bet sizes, especially pot-sized raises and re-raises can be difficult Having straddles and Mississippi straddles will just add a level of complication without adding much to the game.

About calculating what is a pot-sized raise, the rule of thumb is 3x the current bet plus everything that's already in the middle. Now figure out what happens when a player makes a half-pot lead and the two players behind him each raise pot.

[Wedge Rock]

I really recommend against straddles in your first PLO game. Actually I don't see a need for straddles in PLO at all. Straddles are generally used to initiate action in a game that runs a bit smaller or tighter than the player would prefer. PL Omaha, which is a game of big made hands vs big draws vs bigger draws, already runs big.

Really - a 1/2 PLO game is most likely going to run much bigger than pretty much any 1/2 NLHE game you've played in, more like a 2/5 NLHE game or bigger. So even for a group that wants to gamble it up, just play the game. If you have gamblers and action players, the action will be there.

Second, managing PL betting live is a bit tricky the first couple of times you do it. Calculating bet sizes, especially pot-sized raises and re-raises can be difficult Having straddles and Mississippi straddles will just add a level of complication without adding much to the game.

About calculating what is a pot-sized raise, the rule of thumb is 3x the current bet plus everything that's already in the middle. Now figure out what happens when a player makes a half-pot lead and the two players behind him each raise pot.

I agree with this.  Get PLO under your belt, then think about straddles.

Keep a neat pot to make calculating pot bets easier.

[Martini]

I'll pile on and also recommend against straddles. If you have a bunch of action junkies then play start playing PLO/8 as well and that will really get chips flying.

[CHUCKIN8OR]

  A lot of these were my potential thoughts going in as well! I have actually ran a couple of OMAHA tournaments, but never a cash game, but we are wanting to do a cash game now because a few of us played Omaha on-line before it became illegal! Most of us for the most part I am sure will have the Pot seperation down for the most part! The straddles and how they work in Omaha is my(our) biggest concern. I also don't like straddling either! I know it creates action but to me it is senseless to put more money in a pot blind and out of position! However, we do have those few individuals who want to do it, and they even say "YOU CAN'T PREVENT ME FROM STRADDLING" However, I think we are going to make it a rule just to start!. For those that want to do it anyway I will just say, go ahead but you still don't get the last action pre-flop, we will just consider a blind call! If they still want to do it, SO BE IT!

[Martini]

...we will just consider a blind call! ...

Actually it would be a blind raise. As for your solution I've done similar. I allow dead straddles when live straddles are not allowed so if someone wants to throw in dead money into the middle, out of position, without last action then they are welcome to do so.

[CHUCKIN8OR]

>>Actually it would be a blind raise<<

OOOPPSS! I meant Blind Raise!

[FLUX_13]

Staddle betting has great similarities to another game.... not sure of the name of it  but someone calls out "B-7" ,  "N-34"  and other strange letter and number combinations.

[figjam]

Staddle betting has great similarities to another game.... not sure of the name of it  but someone calls out "B-7" ,  "N-34"  and other strange letter and number combinations.

Interesting. Go on.

[William]

It's a really weird game which uses spherical chips.

[figjam]

Very intrigued now.  How can an analytical person such as myself exploit such a game?

[William]

All I know is that I found it hard to stack them...

[72]

About calculating what is a pot-sized raise, the rule of thumb is 3x the current bet plus everything that's already in the middle.

3x the last bet plus the rest. not just what's in the middle, the rest of the calls not in the middle also.

[Dr. Neau]

About calculating what is a pot-sized raise, the rule of thumb is 3x the current bet plus everything that's already in the middle.

3x the last bet plus the rest. not just what's in the middle, the rest of the calls not in the middle also.

Well, while technically correct, even that *could* screw someone up.

Basically, when you say "Pot", you have to call the current amount to go, then match EVERYTHING, including the amount you just put out for the call.

If you are first to act, "3x + rest" works.  Since there is no current bet, 3x = 0 and you just match the pot.

If you are potting a bet to you, then "3x + rest" is a little confusing.  Match the bet (call), match the bet and your call and match the pot.