OMAHA - some advice please.

Bandara

I know this is probably a very basic question to a lot of you but I'm struggling with this and would appreciate some help.

Could some of the Omaha experts go into the nuances of playing top two pair please, Flipper made a brief comment in his 'In the Well' where he mentioned the biggest mistake he sees in Omaha players is undervalueing/disregarding the strenght of top two pair, its the one part of the game that really gives me most trouble and I feel I'm laying it down far too much with assumed (in my own head) sets and straights against me. I play a pretty tight game normally and don't have the skill of having a huge range of 'moves' in my omaha game yet.

Like Doms Omaha post I don't have a specific situation but I've created a somewhat typical one below

We all have about €500 - €700, I'm dealt AhQh6s7c its raised by player 2 to five with 4 callers I call from the cutoff (assume the table is normal 'decent' standard players)

Flop comes Q64r

player 1 checks, player 2 pots it ...... me?

How often do I assume theres a set out there and fold?

Do I think he's some kind of wrap to the straight/has AA etc etc and pot it again?

Flat call to see the turn and try excerise some control on the pot? If I flat call and someone behind me re-pots it am I always done with this hand?

Or do I simply pot it to find out where I am in the hand - if so and he flat calls what the turn line to be, basically a hell of a lot of cards that come out are potentially trouble for me?

How often and why do I simply fold my hand here? Due to my tight style I find I'm laying this down a fair bit* and I think I'm leaking a lot because of it *Except where I have a read on the player or some other information (ie he's pissed/steaming etc).

I know I'm asking for a big reply here but any advice appreciated.

cheers,
P.


p.s. Can I put forward the suggestion for a omaha sub folder within boards? maybe this would encourage most posting on the subject as I think it kind of gets lost within the large number of Hold Em related posts. Anyone any opinion on this?

Flipper

I really like the idea of on Omaha sub-category - much more than one for anything else actually. I'm not saying this as an Omaha player but as someone who notices the PLO strategy threads that get lost amongst the NLH stuff.

I'm really tired right now but I'll write something constructive later on to address your question as best I can. Like to hear the answers to this one actually.

TrueDub

Flipper wrote:

I really like the idea of on Omaha sub-category - much more than one for anything else actually. I'm not saying this as an Omaha player but as someone who notices the PLO strategy threads that get lost amongst the NLH stuff.

I'd second this, lots & lots

5starpool

Firstly, I agree that the Omaha threads get lost too easily (as mine from earlier today did as it is not on page 1 anymore).

Secondly, as to top 2 pair, it really depends on what the preflop action has been, where your position is and how many people are in the hand. It is all to easy to get stacked against a set as is always the problem with top 2 pair. On a dry board such as Q64r, the likelyhood is that top 2 here is good, but if there is significant action before you then be prepared to drop it. If however, there is a bet and a call then this can often be a good place for a raise, as to this action, bottom set cannot look so good anymore unless you have been playing like a maniac or you are playing against a player who never drops a set in Omaha.

Top 2 in Omaha is a very vulnerable hand, esp on a Q64 board and if you see a turn card, then unless it improves your hand, you are most likely behind if there is more than one caller against you to the turn, especially if it is something between 3 and 8. It is unlikely someone will call the flop bet (or raise in some cases) with just one pair unless they hold something like Q875 or the like, so you can know what a likely scare card is going to be.

Pick your players to try this against wisely though, as if they come out betting a seemingly dry card, then they might have been the type of player to stay with a KQJT holding or some such, hopeing to pick up a big draw/2 pair on the turn.

In closing, I should also say that at times I am confused as to the best way to play two pair, but the rambling above is some of my thoughts on it.

cardshark202

I would just call here. Can't see much good in raising here.

eoghan104

cardshark202 wrote:

I would just call here. Can't see much good in raising here.

What do you do for the rest of the hand then? any card on the turn that doesnt make you a house is a scare card so I think that calling is awful. Id prefer a fold to a call to be honest but i would raise.

eoghan104

5starpool wrote:

Firstly, I agree that the Omaha threads get lost too easily (as mine from earlier today did as it is not on page 1 anymore).

I was very dissapointed to see that your thread had dissapeared this morning. It was a good idea for a thread and I was looking forward to hearing the thoughts of maybe Flipper, Marq, Dappergent and others.

I think it proves we have absolutley no need for an Omaha Sub-Forum though which is dissapointing too.

5starpool

If there is a new sub forum for seriosu threads, then Omaha and other variants should get moved there I think.

Bandara

Bump.

Goodluck2me

5starpool wrote:

If there is a new sub forum for seriosu threads, then Omaha and other variants should get moved there I think.

i agree with this. most of the omaha threads tend to be high content though which is good.