Tips & Strategy

The widow in Omaha, combined with the fact that players have four cards to choose from, provides a wealth of information. For instance, if you see a pair in the widow, you should assume that at least one player has a full house. Because more than one player can have the full house, you should make sure that you can beat it with higher cards. For instance, if two 7s are showing, and someone is betting fairly aggressively, you should assume that he or she is using that pair toward a full house. It is quite possible that you are also using the two 7s towards a full house. However, if the other community cards are a King, 2 and 4, and the other part of your full house is the 4s in your pocket, you have to figure out whether your opponent has the King by estimating the probability and reading the signs he is giving you.
Some of the same strategy from Holdem poker can be applied to Omaha, but, because you get four cards instead of two, there are many more opportunities for success. This is especially true if you are playing Hi-low.
If you are dealt low pocket cards, it’s worth your while to see the flop, especially if you have suited or connected, cards or even a low pair. A low pair might lead you to a full house, but low pairs alone are still low and will probably be beaten. Even though you can only use two of the cards in your hand, by having four you are open to more possibilities than in Holdem.

If there is a potential for a flush or a straight in the widow, it is very likely that someone will have it. If there are three diamonds showing in the widow, you must remember that because each player has four pocket cards, there is a strong likelihood that someone is holding two diamonds. Straights are not as common as flushes in Omaha, but beware, especially if there is a potential high straight in the works. If the flop produces three cards of the same suit, then everyone should be a little scared. But if a pair turns up, either on the turn or the river, it is more than likely that your flush is now no longer a threat because of the potential for a full house.
In general, because there are more ways to win, you can stay in longer with lover cards in Omaha. However, it is still in your best interest to have high cards because it is likely that several poker players may have almost identical hands and the absolute highest and will obviously win.
Although more people will pay to see the flop in Omaha, it is good idea, once you have seen the flop, to determine as quickly as possible if the cards are there to create a winning hand. If you don’t see strong potentials such as pairs, same suits, or connected cards, you may want to go out before the turn. The temptation will be stronger than in Holdem to stay in longer, since the four pocket cards offer more possibilities. However, as you play more often, you will quickly be able to see a strong starting hand. For instance, if you see a pair in the widow, but it does not have any immediate links to your pocket cards, it is probably not going to do you much good. Remember, a pair showing usually is helping someone at the table.
If you are playing Omaha Hi-low, and there are unsuited and unconnected low cards in the widow, someone most likely has a good low hand. If the highest low card in the widow is a 5, be very careful; someone might be building a very strong low hand.
In Omaha Hi-low, the hands that raise are usually going after the high hand, since it is much easier to predict. The low hand is sometimes so uncertain that it mat not be clear until the river card whether you’ve made be successful low hand. Because players with the low hand may be betting more passively, it may be hard to read what they are up to.
A good Omaha player will not make speculative bets. Since you get more pocket cards, it is very likely that you can construct a good hand, and bluffing will not help as much. If you stay in, you should be confident that you have the best hand, since it is likely that those who have stayed in really do have something worth poker playing for.