Omaha Poker Strategy

Omaha poker is the ideal game to play when you seek excitement and love to play with strong hands. If you are looking to win Omaha games, it is essential that you strike the right balance between strategy and discipline. Winning players believe that this is one of the most profitable poker games, provided the right Omaha strategies are applied to the game.

Omaha Strategy for Winning Hands - The Aces

Omaha is a game where players rely primarily on strong starting hands to win games. Omaha strategies pertaining to starting hands are defined by the ranking of strong hands. The best starting hand in Omaha is an Ace-Ace combination. Although there are better hands than this combination, an Ace pair is an excellent hand to start with. And, if you have a hand like As-Ad-Ks-Kd, you wouldn't hope for anything better. This is among the two of the best pairs. In case you flop a set, the resultant set formed is the highest. At the same time, this hand will also form the best possible full house. Hence, your key Omaha strategy for a starting hand should be centered on making an ace paired hand. This hand will also make the best possible straight and a nut flush in both diamonds and spades.

Although Ace combinations are excellent starting cards, the hand formed may differ in quality based on the rest of the cards in the hand. In case the hand has a pair of "dry aces" like As-Ad-9h-5c, the possibility of making a flush or a straight is low. At the same time, it has the potential to flop a single set instead of two.  However, it is a good hand when you are playing a single player who doesn't have an Ace pair in his hand.

In addition to the above, other good ace pairs include A-A-Q-Q, A-A-J-J, A-A-T-T, A-A-9-9. This includes any pair with an Ace pair. Additionally, Aces are good even when they are not clubbed with another pair. Hands like A-A-J-T, A-A-K-Q, A-A-Q-J, A-A-K-T, and A-A-K-J are also very strong starting hands. Omaha strategy for such hands requires you to play aggressively since there can be no bigger hand than an Ace pair before the flop.

Omaha Strategy for Winning Hands - The King and Queen Pairs

Omaha strategies for hands that have King and Queen Pairs are the same as in hands with an Ace pair. King and Queen Pairs are as good as an Ace starting hand. And the resultant hand formed with other pairs clubbed with King and Queen Pairs is also similar in value to the hands formed with Ace pairs.  The best hands in this case are those clubbed with another big pair, such as Kd-Ks-Qd-Qs. This hand is better than a Kd-Ks-9d-9s.

Wrap Hands for a Winning Omaha Strategy

Wrap hand strategy in Omaha plays a very important role in this game. These hands are exceptionally strong. The strongest wrap hand is J-T-9-8 double suited. Omaha strategy for a strong starting hand with wrap cards is centered on making double suited hands. This is due to the fact that double suited hands are stronger than single suited hands that appear equal in value. At the same time, single suited hands have a greater value than unsuited hands.  The most important difference in the strength of these hands is in the straights formed with these cards. The value of the flush may not be as prominent as the straight as it can be beaten by hands like a queen-high, king-high, or an ace-high flush.

Since ranking plays a very important role in Omaha, small wrap hands like a 6-5-4-3 are not as decent as they look at the outset. When you are formulating a strategy with wrap hands, it is essential to understand the value of hand quality formed with these cards. If you have made a 6-5-4-3 straight, another player might make a better straight. Hence, don't judge a hand based on the card value alone, but on the relative strength of the hand formed. You stand to lose a lot of money when you overestimate the value of the hand. It is essential that you play with a lot of discipline and fold weak wrap hands to ensure that you don't lose a lot of money.