Good Omaha Starting Hands

[El Professor]

I normally play texas hold-em, but am interested in learning a little omaha, can someone direct me to a site for newbies, including good starting hands? Or, perhaps can someone list a few? What type of hands are you looking to make?

Say I was holding AAAA, would I even play this, knowing it can't improve? With the exception of pulling a miracle nut flush or something, isn't this hand almost crap?

[Ray Zee]

after asking that question you should stop playing any poker and do some serious reading of poker books. your holdem game cant be a winning one either. sorry but trust me here.

[gmunny]

Sorry Dude, but you got dogged by the Grand PB himslef! Had to laugh at that one. /images/graemlins/smile.gif Although, I play HE much more than Omaha, I like playing Omaha Hi/Lo. Please take note I am still a beginner, but for this game, I like hands that have the ability to become the nuts and that can scoop or 3/4 the pot. I may be wrong, but I think the best hand is A2 suited and A3 suited. This hand gives you nut lows even if an A, 2 or 3 gets turned up, it gives you two ways to nut flushes and a pair of aces in the hope you can make Aces Full. Also, with the 2 aces in your hand, it reduces the likelyhood of someone else having the nut low (A2), which in turn reduces the likelyhood of a split low pot. If you are talking about Omaha Hi, although I have never played it except in home games, I would want AK suited and AQ suited. Good luck. G$

[Zeno]

You have to try and be a little more specific. Are you talking straight Omaha high? for limit stakes? or a pot-limt game? or Omaha 8 (a hi-low game) etc.

You need to take Ray's advice and read a few books and study up on some fundamentals. I will recommend a very good book - Called: Omaha Holdem Poker, by Bob Ciaffone. It has some good basic strategy, a chapter on starting hands and covers limit and pot-limit play.

-Zeno

[mackthefork]

I think it just proves he has never played omaha and doesn't know the rules.

I myself have never read about this particular game either, though i play 'reasonably' (imo). I also recommend you do some reading on poker in general and particlar games you want to play, you can also play micro limits on PokerStars to accompany this study, do not play PL or NL until you understand how to play properly.

Hope this is helpful to you.

ML

[bigpooch]

It's clear you're new to the game, but AAAA is only good if
there is a very good chance you can pick up the blinds or
get it heads up. I once picked up the hand, raised and got
it heads up and bet it through until the river and somehow
it did stand up; but I don't recommend that inexperienced
players try this!

From your post, you have to understand that you must use
EXACTLY two cards from your hand and three from the table to
produce a poker hand; ergo, it is impossible to make ANY
flush unless you have two suited cards in your hand. This
is really clear to any Omaha player, so you need to get
familiar with even reading your own hand before you play for
any real money.

[ericsind]

[ QUOTE ]
after asking that question you should stop playing any poker and do some serious reading of poker books. your holdem game cant be a winning one either. sorry but trust me here.

[/ QUOTE ]

ouch, ray! don't completely crush the poor guy's dreams... when a poker god like yerself tells one of us mere poker mortals that we should quit the game, it kinda hurts!

[ericsind]

[ QUOTE ]
It's clear you're new to the game, but AAAA is only good if
there is a very good chance you can pick up the blinds or
get it heads up. I once picked up the hand, raised and got
it heads up and bet it through until the river and somehow
it did stand up; but I don't recommend that inexperienced
players try this!


[/ QUOTE ]

heh... I'm definitely one of those inexperienced players, cause I don't think I'd be trying to pick up the blinds or get heads up with this hand very often...

[ericsind]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
It's clear you're new to the game, but AAAA is only good if
there is a very good chance you can pick up the blinds or
get it heads up. I once picked up the hand, raised and got
it heads up and bet it through until the river and somehow
it did stand up; but I don't recommend that inexperienced
players try this!


[/ QUOTE ]

heh... I'm definitely one of those inexperienced players, cause I don't think I'd be trying to pick up the blinds or get heads up with this hand very often...

[/ QUOTE ]

addendum:

I was thinking about this post last night when I got dealt AAAJ in PLO in late position shorthanded. It was checked to me, I raised pot, 1 caller, rainbow/nonthreatening flop, checked to me, I bet and won. Thanks, Bigpooch! (I'll be back to curse you later when this play costs me money the next 3 times. /images/graemlins/smile.gif)

[bigpooch]

Well done! Best of luck in your future attempts, but make
sure the game conditions are right for your AAA? hands!