Tip #2: Pot Limit Omaha Starting Hands – Part 2

Solid Starting Hands

Solid starting hands in Omaha are what will keep beginning players out of trouble when trying to play on the flop. The idea is to start with hands that will allow players to make as many different hand combinations as possible, with all of the different combinations leading to having the nuts.

The very best hand that a player can start with is K-K-A-A double suited. Double suited means that both A-Ks are of the same suit. This will provide players with the opportunity to play for the nut straight, two different nut flushes and two different set opportunities. Also, notice that there are only two cards of each as we mentioned on the previous page (pair of Aces, pair of Kings, 2 flush cards of each suit).

Of course, other pairs such as AA-QQ, AA-JJ, KK-QQ or KK-JJ are solid starting hands as well with increased value if they happen to be double suited.

Other hands to consider playing would include 4 cards to a straight, preferably double suited. For example, hands such as 7s-8s-9h-10h would be excellent to play, as it would provide several opportunities such as multiple straights and two different flushes. Hands such as these would provide what is referred to as ‘re-draw’ opportunities meaning that if you hit a nut straight it is still possible to draw to a better hand, say a flush. Hands such as these are more valuable than if you have four rainbow consecutive cards such as 6-s7d-8h-9c.

Hands such as AA-K-Q, KK-Q-J and so forth are excellent to play as well. The point that is being made is to have hands that have as many combinations as possible that are still drawing to nuts are as close to it as possible.

Over Valuing Hands/Garbage Hands

A common mistake made by new Omaha players is playing hands that look good but really are hands that create difficult situations later on.

For example, playing hands such as 3h-3d-4h-4d look pretty good as they are double suited and can create a few possibilities on the flop. The problem with hands such as these is that they are hard to play regardless of the hand that is made.

If you started with 3h-3d-4h-4d and the flop was 5d-6s-7c, then you have made a straight. The problem is, is that it is very likely that someone else has made a much higher straight then you and you are just about drawing dead from the flop on – you have what is called “the sucker end of a straight”. The same situation would also apply if you hit a flush or had a flush draw. It is highly likely that someone else is going to have a higher flush leaving you 2nd best.

Another common mistake is playing a high pair with a smaller pair such as A-A-2-2. Again, this hand looks good since there is a pair of aces, two’s, as well as various other combinations. The problem here again is that many hands will be second best making them difficult to play. For example, if you played the hand above and saw a flop such as K-J-2, this would leave you with a set. But it is a bottom set and highly likely that someone else has that beaten. But if this same hand is double suited, it gets a lot better.

Lastly, there are just plain garbage hands that players play. Some good examples would include hands such as K-7-4-2, A-K-5-8 or 2-2-3-6. Really, the list can go on and on forever. But what the end result of playing oddball hands such as these is is that when a player connects with the board in some way they tend to think they have a solid hand. This may be true at times, but most times these hands are simply dominated by much more solid hands played by solid players pre-flop.

Starting Hands in Pot Limit Omaha – Final Words

In short, what starting hands should be played or shouldn’t be played is a crucial lesson to learn in any poker game. But with so many different cards dealt and draws being made in pot limit Omaha, it is more important to understand what solid hands are but more importantly, realize what hands will get you into the most trouble.

Tip #1: Pot Limit Omaha Starting Hands – Part 1

One of the biggest issues that new poker players have when learning how to play is being selective in their starting hands. This results in seeing a flop and immediately folding or connecting with the flop with a mediocre hand and paying too much to be second best.

This issue is only amplified in Omaha simply because all players are dealt 4 cards to start with. Then players start coming up with hands they could hit if only the flop were to go their way. So as you can imagine, Omaha has plenty of starting hand pit falls that new players tend to fall in.

What we have done over the next two pages is come up with a do and don’t guide for choosing starting hands in pot limit Omaha. These tips should help all players avoid tricky situations on the flop and later streets that cost most new players money.

Omaha Starting Hands – Part 1

4 of a Kind and 4 Flush Cards

One of the most common mistakes players make when choosing a starting hand is choose hands that leave them with little to no outs. For example, starting with a hand such as Ah-Ad-As-Ac would be a terrible hand because the best hand you can hope for here is a pair, two pair or a full house.

While a full house is not a bad hand, it sure is not as likely to happen. The problem with a pair or two pair is the fact that they hardly ever hold up in a showdown. This is combined with the fact that the fear of someone else having a better hand will hinder you from getting any value from your pair or two pair as well.

Similar to having 4 of a kind for starting cards is having 4 cards of the same suit. The problem with this is that you can only use 2 of your 4 starting cards so you are already short two flush cards as outs.

As a rule of thumb, you only need two of each card. Meaning, only 1 pair or two cards of one suit. That way you can make more hand combinations out of your starting cards.

On the next part we will look at starting cards that players should play and other hands that they should play cautiously if at all.