Omaha (PL) on 888pl Sat Night

[gundog]

I played my 1st Omaha Tourney Sat night, how the heck did I finish 9th, lost half my stack in one hand I had forgot straight dont count.

I think the game is a bit of a crap shoot IMHO, but I could be convinced otherwise with a good arguement for th defence.

10 players per table is BS a deck has 52 cards 40 are dealt to players preflop that is just under 80%of the playable cards, that leaves 12 cards to form a hand, It is pure luck until the number of players is reduced to 6, then I believe skill starts play a part of the role.

Should 888pl Omaha games have 6 max per table at the start ?

[Des]

LOL straights dont count? Yes they do sir.

[maccatak11]

I played my 1st Omaha Tourney Sat night, how the heck did I finish 9th, lost half my stack in one hand I had forgot straight dont count.

I think the game is a bit of a crap shoot IMHO, but I could be convinced otherwise with a good arguement for th defence.

10 players per table is BS a deck has 52 cards 40 are dealt to players preflop that is just under 80%of the playable cards, that leaves 12 cards to form a hand, It is pure luck until the number of players is reduced to 6, then I believe skill starts play a part of the role.

Should 888pl Omaha games have 6 max per table at the start ?

I think you are a little confused Gundog. Straights most certainly DO count, and the hand rankings are the same as they are in holdem.

Perhaps where you are mistaken is that in Omaha you can only use two of your four cards, but you MUST use two of your four cards.

So if the board runs 6 7 8 9 x and you have a 10 in your hand, you do NOT have a straight. Im guessing your situation might have been similar to this. It takes a little bit to get used to this, but its not a problem once you do.

I also think your statement regarding a crap shoot is prob due to a great number of players having very little experience with omaha before (think of the first NPL tournaments when 80% instead of 5% of people were complete beginners).

I think its been discussed on here before, but the difference between the best and worse hand in omaha is much smaller pre-flop than it is in holdem. e.g. in holdem you can be an 8-1 underdog preflop maximum, whereas in omaha this is reduced to about 2.5 or 3-1 (correct me if im wrong omaha players, garth, scott).

So its most definately a post-flop game, which is why you will often see more players to a flop than in a typical holdem game. I think with the game being pot-limit instead of no-limit that this requires more skill instead of less, as we dont have the old "all in" move to fall back on the majority of the time, and our fold equity is therefore reduced.

I personally think the addition of Omaha games is very exciting. A lot of us have played holdem now for a number of years, but are relatively new to omaha, and still have little idea what they are doing (this is me in a nutshell). I think this presents an opportunity to learn to get good at a new game, read some strategy, and ask the experts some questions. i know i will be.

[maccatak11]

secondly, i think it is a little strange (in my very limited experience at this game) to play omaha 10 handed. its normally 8 handed isn't it? but i could be wrong.

i enjoyed it the other night though.

[Garth Kay]

Omaha is a much more technical, math based game than NL. It is also a fantastic action game and whilst luck plays a factor in almost all poker hands; Omaha is truly skill based and variance doesn't have such a huge impact for practiced players.

Agression pre flop should be kept to a minimum, by raising pre flop in this game, against most opponents, you are actually increasing the impact variance can have on your stack. Pre flop the most you are going to be ahead is generally 2.5 to 1, in a multiway pot the advantages of holding the strongest Omaha hand is almost negligible.

Omaha is very much post flop game and most action will occur on the turn or river rather than the flop. It is also a discipline game as two pair will hardly ever be good, and laying down straights and flushes is the norm. Many Hold em players struggle with the transition to Omaha, but you'll hardly ever hear bad beat stories from Omaha players as with all marginal hands you are always close to been beaten. And in Omaha marginal hands are anywhere from a set through to flushes depending on the board texture.

Generally Omaha tables are anywhere from 6 to 9 handed. Most live tournaments will not exceed nine handed during play. If you are not good at maths then this is not the game for you, Omaha is all about extracting maximum value, protecting your losses and MONSTER draws. Nothing better than sitting on the button with a flopped set, wrap round straight draw and the nut flush draw in your hand.

JdJhQsAs on a board of Js,Ts,9h - not exactly a wrap around draw but it will do for this example.

Right now your outs are - any spade, 8, King, a repeat of the J, Ten or Nine. 21 outs or thereabouts. Monster draw! And even if your opponent has the nuts on that flop of QK you still have 18 outs to beat him - you're almost a 68% favourite to beat someone who has flopped the nuts here.

[gundog]

Thanks for response Garth, my main bitch was the 10 player table which I felt brought out the crap shoot mentality of some players, when 80% of the cards are on the table pre flop.

I'm not saying I didn't enjoy the game, but couldnt 888pl Omaha game have 6 or 8 ppt, which I think would allow newer players to the game learn.

[bennymacca]

i agree, 6max is the way to go with omaha - seems that most cash tables on most sites run as 6max as well, not sure about tourneys though as i haven't played too many

[Bob B]

I only play the 6 per table games and really enjoy them. Personally I prefer the Hi / Lo to the Hi only but that's coz of the cards I like to play and chase both ends.

A2KQ preferably suited is my favourite are as close to it as possible to see a good flop either way.

[Brett Kay]

Try getting chipped up after a round of the table, then being disconnected by a blackout.

Still ran 4th. So was taking that down. See you all on the felt this weekend.

[AJG]

.....
(think of the first NPL tournaments when 80% instead of 5% of people were complete beginners).
.....

Wow, where do you play, cos its pretty much still 80% or more are beginners at every NPL venue I go to!