Pot
Limit Omaha has attracted thousands of new players in recent times, and
is now most of the Full Tilt Poker players? game of choice. Their reason for
their switch to Omaha was that the Texas Hold'em games were becoming too
difficult to make money playing. Yes that's right, all the fish can now be
found playing Pot Limit Omaha!
Of course now you know that, you will want to try your chances at the PLO
tables to make some money, but first you will need some tips so that you
aren't another player who gets labelled a ?fish?. With our tips you can
successfully try your new game of choice without losing all of your
bankroll.
Stick to these 10 Pot Limit Omaha tips and you will be way ahead of the
fish.
1. Hand Selection. PLO is a pre-flop game and the choices you make before the flop will determine whether you win or go broke at the tables. Only play premium hands, and play them strong you can't afford to let limpers in and end up winning with mediocre hands.
2. Table Selection. Table selection is crucial to making lots of money at the online poker tables. You want to be playing against as many weak players as possible, but you can be certain there will be at least one good player playing with these ?fish?, because so many poker players now use poker tools which can track every player at a poker site and give you statistics on how much they have lost and much, much more.
3. Most PLO players do not bluff. In Pot Limit Omaha it is rare to see players bluff, usually they will always have something and let's face it even a pair of two's has your Ace high beat unless you chase the board, which can prove costly and even leave you having to re-buy. When your opponents make big pot sized raises you should tread with caution, and unless you have a very strong hand ? fold. So many players chase in PLO, which is why there are so many fish, but to have even a pair of Aces or Kings in PLO won't get you very far. Two pair and Trips are very easy to hide so don't get trapped.
4. Raise or Fold. Pot Limit Omaha is a much more aggressive game than Texas Hold'em, therefore just calling can signify weakness to your opponents. Usually the only good time to flat call is if you have a very strong hand and are trapping your opponent. If your opponent bets and your strong then raise, if you're weak and your opponent bets then fold ? all basic stuff really, but you would be surprised how many people throw away their bankrolls betting with average hands.
5. Read your opponents. A great way to assess your opponents is to join a table and immediately sit-out. Your opponents may think you are busy doing something away from your computer, when you are actually making notes on their playing style and their strengths and weaknesses. Make use of the notes feature, which most online poker rooms now offer. Take notes on who can be bluffed, who folds to aggression, who tries to bluff etc.
6. Be cautious of your draws. In Omaha it is possible to flop 13 way draws, even 20-way draws, but unless you hit your draw proceed with caution because as we all know there's also the chance you won't! Instead of raising hoping you hit the cards you need, you should try to stay in the pot for the minimum you can, if that means flat calling then so be it, but make sure your draw is a strong one, you might have the King hoping for a diamond flush draw but your opponent can easily have the nuts ? the Ace high flush.
7. Do not overplay Aces. Whether you have pocket Aces or have flopped the top pair, do not think you have won the pot. In Texas Hold'em your Aces would be very strong, especially with a good kicker, but in Omaha even a pair of Aces with King kicker isn't very strong. It is very common in PLO for players to flop two pair, sets, straights, a flush or even a full house, so don't get caught in the trap of thinking your Aces are best.
8. Bet your nut draws. If you have an Ace high flush draw, bet or raise! This stops your opponent from getting to see a free card, and gets more money into the pot for when you do hit your nut flush. Raising here can also make your opponent fold; if they have a marginal hand they might just fold thinking they are already beaten. Remember Omaha is all about aggression!
9. Your set might be no good. In Omaha it is very common for players to hit a set (three of a kind), but if the board pairs then you must be cautious because your opponent could have a full-house.
10. Only go all-in with the nuts! Many players who are new to Omaha make the mistake of raising every chance they get because they have pocket Aces or Kings in their hole cards. Yes, playing strong pre-flop is good to build the pot and lose the limpers, but after the flop there are so many draws you could easily be beaten. To avoid this you should usually flat call if your opponent raises to see the flop, if your opponent continues to be aggressive then he obviously has a strong hand. In multi-way pots every player could raise, meaning you might have to go all-in or fold. In PLO you should avoid these coin flip situations and wait until you have the nuts before risking all your money.
These are only tips to help you adjust to Pot Limit Omaha, but taking them on board will give you a great advantage over newer Omaha players.