Fixed Limit Omaha High is a game of hitting the nuts. Every player is dealt 4 hole cards, with 2 from your own hand and 3 from the community cards being used to determine the winning hand at showdown.
The number of potential hand combinations with several opponents and 4 hole cards is huge. Players used to Holdem should bear in mind that each 4-card holding is the equivalent to six Holdem hands, thus when facing 4 opponents you have to beat 24 different hand combinations to win.
Fixed limit Omaha strategy usually includes holding a nut hand or a strong draw to one. The following strategy tips will help you improve your game today.
Fixed Limit Omaha Strategy Tip #1 – Cards Must Work Together
The best starting hands in fixed limit Omaha poker have 4 cards that ‘work together’. Suited cards and those that are close in rank can make many more premium hands after the flop than high cards without such advantages. The best hands in fixed limit Omaha include hands such as A-A-10-J double suited and 9-10-J-Q double suited. These can make nut straights and flushes which will often be the winner at showdown.
Fixed Limit Omaha Strategy Tip #2 – Playing High Pairs
High pair hands are playable for a small bet pre-flop in fixed limit Omaha but must usually be folded quickly if they do not improve. For example, you hold A-A-2-7 with 4 different suits and the board shows K-10-3 with two hearts. If your aces are still the best hand on the flop then this is likely to be temporary. Any heart or card from 8 through to ace could give an opponent a straight of flush to beat you. What is more any opponent could already hold trips or two pair. Fold in these situations when there is heavy betting action after the flop.
Fixed Limit Omaha Strategy Tip #3 – Protecting Made Hands
A common fixed limit Omaha situation is that you will hit trips on the flop but be facing opponents with various combinations of straight and flush draws. Against more than one drawing opponent your made hand will often be an underdog to win the showdown. Use your position at the table to re-raise or check-raise to charge drawing opponents the maximum price to remain in the hand. If you can induce one opponent to fold you can easily return to being the favorite.
Fixed Limit Omaha Strategy Tip #4 – Drawing To The Second Best Hand
The large number of potential hand combinations in fixed limit Omaha make drawing to the 2nd best hand an expensive strategy. For example calling bets on the flop to hit a king or queen high flush can go wrong in several ways. An opponent could make an ace-high flush at the same time as you make your hand, or someone with trips or 2 pair could hit a full house. Drawing cheaply has its place in fixed limit Omaha, when the betting gets heavy make sure you are not drawing to a second best hand.
Fixed Limit Omaha Strategy Tip #5 – Suited Cards and Blockers
Lower suited cards look great before the flop in fixed limit Omaha. The problem with hands such as 4-5-7-8 double-suited is that drawing to the flush post-flop can make you an expensive second best hand. An advantage with such hands comes from the fact that holding 2 cards of a suit that an opponent is drawing to reduces their chances of making an winning flush – your cards are acting as ‘blockers’ for your opponents flush draw making your flopped straight a stronger holding. |
