Starting Hands For Pot Limit Omaha Poker.

 

There are many different types of poker played on the internet. However, if you are looking for the most lucrative version, then you Pot Limit Omaha should be your poker game of choice. Traditionally, Pot Limit Omaha has always had the highest stakes across the different versions of poker.

 

Because Pot Limit Omaha is the most exciting version of poker, according to many, then more people play and, where they are caught up in the excitement, they tend to create larger pots on a more regular basis than other styles of poker.

 

Pot Limit Omaha or PLO for short, the best hand that can be played in a double suit, AA-KK, only has odds on of 1:2, over most other combinations of cards. Consequently, players may feel that they can play more hands pre-flop, than they normally would choose to play. In this article, we are going to explain how to avoid the common pitfall of PLO, namely, losing a big pot.

 

How to analyse your starting hand:

 

When playing PLO, the odds of winning the round with a single pair are practically zero, and it is extremely rare to win without having to use your hole cards. Because there are so many potential outs that a player can hit on, this makes it a lot more likely that chips are lost quickly.

 

Good hands to play when involved in a large multi-way pot are the connecting double suited cards. So, statistically, an AAKK combination is the strongest hand to play in poker, but if you want to win a big pot in PLO, then a double suited j-10-9-8 is a great hand too, as it has more redraw options – indeed, it is the second best starting hand when playing PLO.

 

But, why is this?

 

Taking the example that the J-10-9-8 combination is double suited with spades and clubs, (Js-10c-9s-8c) this means that if any black card falls at the flop, then it will enhance the hand. Additionally, a card with a value between 5 – A also helps the hand.

 

It is possible to see how a J-10-9-8 starting hand, beats an A-K-Q-J starting hand, and by doing so understand why a J-10-9-8 is so much stronger. The reason is that the double suited connecting hand (Js-10c-9s-8c) can lead to a Broadway straight A-K-Q-J-10, but also a 9-8-7-6-5 straight too, whilst at the same time, protecting the player if 2 to a flush arrives at the flop. The J-10-9-8 combination is very powerful because, even when the pot is large and you are up against a monster hand, you still have many outs that can win the pot.

 

PLO and drawing

 

When playing Texas Hold’em, the J-10-9-8 combination is dangerous to play, but in PLO, because PLO is a drawing game, the hand works exceptionally well. A player that is leading at the flop can find that they have their hand eliminated by the turn or the river.

 

For example:

 

Player 1 has Ac-Ah-Kc-Kh

 

Player 2 has Js-10d-7s-6d

 

The flop reveals an As-9s-8d

In this example, Player 1 has the top-set cards and will win if the rounds stop before the turn and the river; but with two more cards to be drawn, Player 2 is the favourite with nearly 60% chance of a win. The reason beign that Player 2’s hand is a strong drawing hand:

 

8 of the spades that have yet to be dealt will give Player 2 a flush.

 

One King remains (the King of spades which has yet to be drawn counts towards the flkush mentioned above and so is counted in the flush – meaning the remaining king is the King of Diamonds)

 

Three Queens remain (the Queen of Spades is already accounted in the flush)

 

Three 5s remain (the 5 of Spades is already accounted in the flush)

 

Two 6s remain (the 6 of Spades is already accounted in the flush)

 

Three 7s remain (the 7 of Spades is already accounted in the flush)

 

Two 10s remain (the 10 of Spades is already accounted in the flush)

 

Two Jacks remain.

 

Thus, Player 2 has 24 possible outs, while player 1 needs the cards to draw in order to secure a full house, which would subsequently eliminate the straigh of the flush that is surely to arrive for Player 2. In this example, it is clear to see the power of a starting hand in PLO where all the four cards work together. The AAKK combination is the favourite pre-flop, with a 61% chance of winning, but once new cards have been dealt, then Player 2 passes into the lead, and Player 2 will go to the flop.

 

At times when the flop is not so generous towards Player 2, there is still the option of playing aggressively at the flop, because most cards will enhance their hand. Larger pots in Omaha are those that have reached the river, and both players have strong hands. In PLO you will need a really strong drawing hand if you have not got the cards you needed at the flop.

 

Top Tip:

If it is you goal to win at PLO, then the most important information to bear in mind is to draw as much as you can, but to begin this process only when you have the right kind of drawing hand.

Copyright © www.online-casinos.co.uk 2010, All Rights Reserved.