Fixed Limit Omaha Hi-Low tournaments are becoming increasingly popular. Compared with pot-limit or no-limit tournaments you will get a lot of ‘play' for your entry fee, often only a handful of players will exit in the first few blind levels. This article looks at some strategy tips for Omaha hi-low tournaments and highlights some of the common errors made by less experienced opponents.
Like fixed limit Omaha hi-low cash games your objective should be to ‘scoop' the pot with every hand you play. That is you are looking to make combinations from your 2 of your 4 hole cards and 3 cards from the board that will win you both the high and low sides of the pot.
The early stages of Omaha poker hi-low tournaments are in fact very similar to cash (or ring) games. Most pots will be multi-way meaning that starting hand selection is important. A significant difference between tournament and cash play is that you are under pressure to accumulate chips. Folding and waiting for premium starting hands will be counter productive in several ways. The blinds will increase quickly leaving you less flexibility to play pots later in the tournament. Also the weakest of your opponents will be losing their chips early by playing too many hands and going too far with them – someone else will take those chips if you do not.
As the blinds increase your strategy should adjust, the bigger bet sizes – particularly on the turn and river betting rounds will mean that many opponents become reluctant to commit without nut hands. Here a timely re-raise can thin the field and will allow you to win pots which you might have shared when the betting levels were smaller.
Bigger betting levels also mean that getting quartered becomes more significant. This usually happens when you share the low side of the pot while an opponent takes the high side. If getting quartered could lead to losing 20% or more of your stack then it can sometimes be better to fold early in the hand and wait for a more profitable situation.
During a fixed limit Omaha hi-low tournament you should view your stack in terms of the number of hands it is possible to play through to the end. As the bubble approaches this becomes a key strategic element. Watch your opponents, particularly those with medium stack sizes, and spot who is attempting to fold into the money. Stealing their blinds and antes will increase your stack at this critical time of the tournament.
The number of potential draws in fixed limit Omaha hi-low mean that giving free cards – particularly in the late stages of the tournament – can be a costly mistake. Betting out can win the pot by getting your opponents to fold. An aggressive and positive strategy gives an extra edge when opponents may be looking to move up the payout scale without risking too many chips.
Heads up play at the end of a fixed limit Omaha hi-low tournament is usually characterized by large bets in relation to stack sizes. While the principal of trying to scoop the high and low pots remains your starting hand selection must adjust downwards. Your opponent will not have a hand that can withstand heavy betting much of the time – make sure that you are the one raising and not the caller to have the additional way of winning each pot.
