Omaha/8 - AA23 Double Suited is a Silly Notion

Sorry this was posted twice ...


People talk about AA23 double suited all the time, like its comparable to AA in Holdem. I've played about 10,000 hands of Omaha8 in the last 6 months and I got dealt that hand exactly once. I bet big and lost, the other suits fell and there was no low. Are the odds against making this hand so great that its not a relevant example? Its like saying, well, 4 Aces's is a really great hand in Holdem.


I quess you can make comparisons as to how much a hand looks like AA23 double suited, but still it seems like a strectch. Even hands close to this are extremely rare. Do the winning players really play 1 hand out of 40? I'm just curious what they do or think about when they're waiting for those hands? And how is it that when they do finally come in, "gun's a blazing", everybody doesn't just say, "Oh here's Jimmy Nuts, playing his one hand for the hour, I think I'll fold".


Outside of Pot Limit maybe, which is another game entirely, does anyone really make any money in this game, or are they really just moving it around amongst themselves, donating the Lion's share to the rake in the long run. Who made this game up anyway, a Pokerroom manager?


At little disconcerted

(after 6 months of futility),

Bol Tamm

"People talk about AA23 double suited all the time, like its comparable to AA in Holdem."


It's comparable because AA is the best hand in hold em and AA23ds is the best hand in O/8, but obviously your going to see AA more often.


"Do the winning players really play 1 hand out of 40?"


How did you come up with this figure?


"I'm just curious what they do when they're waiting for those hands?"


Download Porn.


"Does anyone really make any money in this game?"


Yes, lots of people make lots of money. If you are not winning, you are just not good at Omaha/8. It's not the game. So, either stop playing or get better. I play most of my poker on the web, there is no easier money to be made out there than Omaha/8 money.


My guess is that you are a long time hold em player that tried O/8 without really learning the game. O/8 is NOT 4 card hold em.


Why don't you post some specific questions you have about O/8?

Question for you, what percentage of the time do you think AA holds up against a full table? The results aren't pretty but is there a hand you would trade for it? I've had AA23 DS exactly once too (also in about 10000 hands) and lost with it. I didn't even see the turn on that one as the flop was KKJ and there was a bet, and raise before it even go to me and of course kings full took the pot. It takes discipline to win in 0/8 just like any other poker game and that means sometimes throwing away good starting hands. I had AA24 DS last night and lost with it, even after raising preflop and somewhat thinning the field. The person who scooped the pot had (and who called my raise from middle position) KQ35 suited Q only. It happens. Would you trade AA23 when you got it preflop for KQ35 or any other hand even knowing that it only wins at perhaps just more than 50% better than a random hand?

Omaha/8 is the easiest game to win(though good players won't win as much as you will at stud or holdem) at low to mid limits. If you can't beat it read Ray Zee's book on it. The game is simple. Stop drawing to non nut hands.