Omaha High 4 cards working.COMMENTS PLEASE

Omaha high literature says that you want to have all four cards working when you enter a pot. An In addition this was reiterated to me by TJ Cloutier when we were at the WPO last March. However, what constitutes 4 cards working. I would like to give some examples and ask for your comments please:


1. Ad As Tc 2d


2. Ad As Tc 8d


3. Ad As 2c 2h


4. Ad As 2c 3h


5. Kd Ks Tc 2d


6. Ad Ks Qc Th


7. 6d 7s 8c 8d


8. Qd Qs Td 8s


I have been playing Hold-em for twenty plus years and make a decent profit playin on-line. However, I have recently benn playing O high on-line when the 5-10 or 10-20 game is going. I have better success than at the Hold-em tables; however, I throw hand after hand after hand away before I get one that I think makes the 4 card criteria, plus I am leary about making a non nut draw. I may be playing too much like its pot-limit instead of fixed limit; therefore, dumping too many hands. Comments please


Thank you

I think this illustrates the weakness of the "consider your whole hand" method of evaluating Omaha hands. Its FAR too subjective.


Hands 7 and 8 meet the criteria but are routine folding hands. Hand 1 does not but is a pretty reasonable hand.


I have a specific check list, but basically assign 1 point for every 2-card "nut" combination.


Hand 1 can make the 3 nuts with the pair of Aces, A2, and Axs.


[2] can make 2.


[3] can make 2; AA and A2.


[4] can make 4: AA, A2, A3, and 23.


[5] can make 1. OK, I also add half points for non-nut combinations like Kxs.


[6] I usually require 3 big cards to make a "nut" straight combination, so we have AKQ, AKT, AQT, and KQT; which is 4 but that's a little too much.


[7] Zero. Cannot reasonably make the nuts.


[8] Zero, although QQ is probably worth a half point. There is no such thing as a 3rd nut flush draw.

set me suggest that you relax a bit. because you evidentally have good card sense and because it is limit, I think you can afford to be a bit more venturesome. Possibly you have now played enough omaha to have seen "other hands" win some nice pots and thus understand that you can too.from time to time I will play a hand with only 3 cards working...seldom allow myself to lose in a big pot unless I have a made hand plus a very good draw.


just try it

I play Omaha extensively and it is very important to vary your play. This will allow you to win some larger pots with less than glamorous starting cards. For instance if you flop the nut straight with some lower cards i.e. flop of 458 and you have 67. You will often win a nice sized pot. I like to at least see the flop with a number of holding to vary my play. The nice thing about less than stellar starting cards is that they will either hit the flop and you will be in there betting or they wont and you will throw them in the muck!!!!!

Louie,


Are you talking about selection of Omaha hi/low hands? I think Mark is asking about high only Omaha.


Mike

I assume you are referring to high-only Omaha. Ciaffone says you will be playing too tightly if you only play hands with four coordinated cards; strong three-card hands are playable. Though I'm fairly new to the game, I'll offer my opinions on the hands and trust others to correct me if I'm off-base.


1. Ad As Tc 2d


I believe this is a playable three-card hand due to the AA and the nut flush draw...the ten is poorly coordinated and adds little value.


2. Ad As Tc 8d


This one is slightly better, since the 8 is bigger (than 2) and provides some straight potential with the ten. Not a fully coordinated hand, however.


3. Ad As 2c 2h


I would regard this as a two-card hand (AA) which might still be worth playing for a single small bet on the button or when you anticipate a head-up pot. Making the bottom set with 22 is of dubious value in multiway pots.


4. Ad As 2c 3h


I think this hand is close in value to #3. Hitting the bottom end of a straight with A23 is of dubious value.


5. Kd Ks Tc 2d


This is a playable hand in which all four cards serve a function, though the only strong combination is KK. Nevertheless, the 2nd-nut flush draw provides some value, as does the straight potential of KT. [K Kd T Jd would be much better]


6. Ad Ks Qc Th


This hand has 4 big coordinated cards providing excellent straight potential. Probably worth a raise.


7. 6d 7s 8c 8d


Another fully coordinated playable hand, though not as valuable as #6 due to the smaller cards.


8. Qd Qs Td 8s


A medium-strong playable hand with four coordinated cards, providing top set, straight draw, and flush draw potential. Less dispersion of card ranks would be better.


Mike

Doh!! OK. In Omaha high the "4-card hand" approach works much better than H/L.