Saving Omaha in Cardrooms
 

Is it me or hold'em is killing other games in cardrooms everywhere. Now, I like hold'em as much as the next guy (hell, it's how I started playing poker) but I really enjoy mixing it up with Omaha and Stud. I just can't find the games any more.

Near me, Bay 101 has 1-2 Omaha tables and about 35 hold'em games (maybe 2 stud). Gardn City has no Omaha (2-4 Stud 8/b). And in Vegas these days, you'd have better luck getting tickets to Sigfried and Roy than finding an Omaha game.

So do we, Omaha Lovers Anonymous, need to do something to introduce our game to all these new hold'em players? Volunteer at our local card clubs to give lessons? Ideas?

Re: Saving Omaha in Cardrooms
 

Granted I've only been playing poker for a little under a year now, but from all the buzz I've heard Omaha is supposedly a growing attraction in the poker world. There's always at least 2-4 games going on at the local casinos near me spread across several limits (you're right you have to look a bit harder in vegas). Of course that's much smaller than for holdem. But I'm fine with waiting for those poor weak holdem players to start branching out to omaha so I can takes there money [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Re: Saving Omaha in Cardrooms
 

When I was playing at the Mirage recently, players kept calling the "game of the future" and I really hoped that was true.

Then I opened Ray Zee's High/Low Split book and noticed that they've been calling Omaha the game of the future for a while now...

Re: Saving Omaha in Cardrooms
 

I think Omaha could explode if Poker shows focused on it, would show up!

The WSOP 2004 coverage was at least a start....

When in Vegas, try Texas Station for Omaha....

Re: Saving Omaha in Cardrooms
 

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I think Omaha could explode if Poker shows focused on it, would show up!

The WSOP 2004 coverage was at least a start....


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the problem is that omaha will confuse the hell out of some viewers.

Re: Saving Omaha in Cardrooms
 

Omaha Hi/Lo is huge in Europe...and like with all things Europe is way ahead of the west. Prediction: in 2 years 7-Stud will explode as the main casino game.

Re: Saving Omaha in Cardrooms
 

[ QUOTE ]
Omaha Hi/Lo is huge in Europe...and like with all things Europe is way ahead of the west. Prediction: in 2 years 7-Stud will explode as the main casino game.

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Stud? I dunno about that one. I think stud requires too much brain power for the average player. Remembering dead cards, paying attention to other player's hands, etc. too much for the *average* newbie hold'em player.

It would be way cool though to see more Omaha on TV. I'll never forget on one hand on ESPN one of the players had about 65 outs (OK, a *slight* exageration) and the commentator says "I think an Uno card can come off the deck and make this hand". Classic...

Re: Saving Omaha in Cardrooms
 

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Stud? I dunno about that one. I think stud requires too much brain power for the average player. Remembering dead cards, paying attention to other player's hands, etc. too much for the *average* newbie hold'em player.

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Given that stud hands run closer in value I think plenty of fish would enjoy stud. More suckouts etc when you hit 2 pair against split A's. Remember also stud used to be THE game here on the east coast. We still have it lingering around, can be quite good if a couple hold'em players sit down (not that I know what I'm doing, but I at least read the green book)

That said, if the casino's spread omaha I think it has a better chance of taking off due to similiar structure to hold'em and the illusion of more chances to win.

Re: Saving Omaha in Cardrooms
 

I think one reason that "rake" cardrooms don't promote Omaha, especially Omaha 8/B Hi-Lo, is that less hands per hour are dealt. Since I prefer to find super loose, well-monied games and play less hands per hour than the clueless, I like rake compared to time charges. However, if it meant there were a lot more juicy O8/B games to pick from, then I wouldn't mind paying by time as it would be a +EV.

One other thing is that most dealers, especially the less experienced, would rather not deal Omaha 8/B. Not only is it more difficult, but they may believe it will generate lower tokes due to the fewer hands per shift dealt.

Re: Saving Omaha in Cardrooms
 

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Omaha Hi/Lo is huge in Europe...

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If you say so, but I don't know one cardroom that spreads it. Maybe in the UK?

Its all hold'em over here as well.