Pot
Limit Omaha
Tournament
Strategy
Pot Limit Omaha in
tournament form is probably one of the more fun
and challenging types of poker available today.
Pot limit Omaha tournaments can get very
volatile and just like a no limit game, you’ll
need to have lots of courage and you’ll want to
know the game well. Omaha is a slightly more
complex and difficult game than Texas Holdem.
Hold’em certainly is complicated and full of
nuances, but Omaha can be difficult to get used
to after playing hold’em exclusively. We suggest
a thorough understanding of the game in a
regular ring game format before jumping into a
pot limit tournament.
Early Hand Selection In A Pot
Limit Omaha
Tournament
PL
Omaha is definitely a game of flops. Unlike
Texas Holdem where one hand can have a clear
advantage before the flop, these advantages are
less in Omaha. This however does not excuse you
from playing any hand you are dealt, what it
means is that if you can see a flop for cheap
with a speculative or less than premium holding,
by all means take a look at the flop. What you
don’t want to do in a pot limit tournament is
get into big chip matches early on with middle
ranked or sub par hands. Look to make moves with
these premium hands early on in the tournament:
It is vital that when
you have a solid hand early in a pot limit
tournament that you bet to protect it. Since so
many players see the flop, you need to make it a
poor idea for them to continue into the hand.
You also need to stay out of the way when other
pot sized bets come your way unless you have the
best of it. Remember though, in Omaha, having
the best of it means having the nuts. Second
best hands will send you packing real fast.
Despite some lax rules on being able to see more
flops, there are still several types of hands
you should avoid in a pot limit tournament.
Absolutely stay away from middle and low
connectors like 2345 or 4679, you also want to
avoid low and middle pairs like 8833 or 9937. In
a pot limit Omaha tournament, your avoidance of
these mediocre trouble hands can be the
difference between winning and losing.
Pot Limit Omaha Poker Tournament Betting
Strategy
The
need to be aggressive and protect your hands is
vital in pot limit Omaha. Lets examine a few
examples of situational betting strategies:
You
have 89TJ in the big blind and the flop comes
892 rainbow, there were no raises pre flop from
your two other opponents in middle position.
This is a tricky hand to play, you have top two
pair and your opponents don’t seem to have much
going. A strong raise here could thin the field
and give you the pot, but be leary if your
opponents call. You will have to be extremely
careful on the turn and the river to make sure
your hand is still good.
You
have TTQQ double suited in spades and hearts in
late position when the flop comes Q27 with two
clubs. Your three opponents are the small blind
and two middle position players who all called
your pre flop raise, they all check to you on
the flop. This is a good position to make a
large bet. You have a strong hand that is
vulnerable to a flush but could even make a
bigger full house by the end. Don’t waste any
time protecting your hand here, bet it out.
You
have 9TAQ double suited in the big blind; there
is a late position raise after everyone folded
before the raiser. The flop comes JK8. This is a
good situation again to make a pot sized bet.
You have a wraparound straight draw meaning your
chances of completing are excellent. You’ll look
to have the best hand, or your bet will take
down the pot now. This is an all around good way
to play a hand like this for both deceptive
reasons and just because it’s the right thing to
do.
Be
selective with your Omaha poker starting hands
and avoid playing costly middle ranked hands and
you will fair well in a pot limit Omaha
tournament. Gauge playing speculative or sub
premium hands by how cheap it is to enter the
pot. If the price is right, go ahead and see a
flop. Play for the best hands after the flop and
avoid making and calling large bets with second
or third bets hands.
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