Relative Hand Strength In Pot-Limit Omaha High

One of the biggest errors made by players transitioning from No-Limit Holdem to Pot-Limit Omaha is making the correct adjustments for relative hand strength. While it is clear to many that 4 hole-cards mean bigger hands at showdown, the large size of this difference often leads to difficulties. This article examines the relative hands strength in Pot-Limit Omaha games, to help you profit from those players who fail to grasp this important concept.

Omaha Hand Combinations

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We start by looking at how the strength of hands at showdown is dramatically increased by the 2 from your hand, 3 from the board. Next the fact that Pot-Limit Omaha is a ‘game of the nuts’ is examined, particularly for big pots. We finish with some simple rules of thumb which should keep you out of trouble while transitioning to this form of poker.

While having 4 hole cards would appear to double the number of possible hands in Omaha when compared with Texas Holdem, this is not the case. The 4 cards must be used in pairs in Pot-Limit Omaha, and when we break down the possible 2-card combinations, there are actually 6 available to use. If we label each card A, B, C and D the combinations appear as follows:

A & B
A & C
A & D
B & C
B & D
C & D

Each player holding this many combinations of hole-cards leads to the higher strength of hands at the end. Imagine how many draws and made hands are possible in a multi-way pot and you will get the idea. For each opponent you must account for 6 Texas Holdem hands… still feel that your top pair is good against 3 opponents?

The label of ‘Game Of The Nuts’ comes from the relative strength of hands at showdown being very strong. If the board contains 3 hearts then someone is likely to have the nut (or close) flush. If the board is paired you can not profitably play a straight the majority of the time – the chances are strong that a full-house is out there already.

Staying out of Trouble

Staying out of trouble in Pot-Limit Omaha Poker involves ensuring that you do not chase non-nut draws – though these may be candidates for semi-bluff raising on many occasions. While a set in Texas Holdem is considered a through-ticket to an opponent’s stack, bottom or even middle set in Omaha can sometimes be a trap hand. Make sure you know your opponents before going to war with this hand in a multi-way pot.

Finally we can summarize and add some simple rules of thumb to use while learning the details of this fast-action form of poker. Firstly it can pay to consider betting into 6 opponents for every player in the pot on the flop, how would your hand match up against this many Holdem Hands? Secondly your Omaha Starting Hand Selection should be adjusted to ensure that you have a nut hand and / or nut draw those times you do hit the flop. Third, make sure you do not draw to non-nut hands, especially on paired or monotone (single suit) boards.