PLAYING TIPS for DOUBLE DISCARD HOT OMAHA POKER

HOW TO PLAY DOUBLE DISCARD HOT OMAHA POKER
​Deal 6 cards face down to each player (maximum of 8 players for this game).   After an initial round of betting each player must discard 1 card face down in the middle of the table. These discarded cards are shuffled or mixed together, and they are used to deal the flop.   Once the flop has been revealed and the second betting round completed, each player discards another single card face down.  These discarded cards are shuffled or mixed together, and they are used to deal the turn and river.
 May be played high, high-low split or high-low eight or better.  ​

SUMMARY of ACTION
​Deal 6 hole cards to each player.
Bet
Each player selects 1 card from their hand and discards it face down.
Gather and mix/shuffle all discarded cards.  These cards will be used to deal the flop.
Deal 3 cards from discards as the flop.  Left over cards are mucked.
Bet
Each player selects 1 card from their hand and discards it face down.
Gather and mix/shuffle all discarded cards. These cards will be used to deal the turn and river.
Deal 1 card from discards as the turn.
Bet
Deal 1 card from discards as the river.
Bet
 High only: Showdown
 High-low split: Declare
Bet
Showdown

PLAYING TIPS for DOUBLE DISCARD HOT OMAHA POKER
In "standard" Omaha games the flop, turn and river consist of random cards that come from the unseen deck.  There is an equal chance that any card may appear.  In contrast, the flop, turn and river cards in Double Discard Hot Omaha poker are not random.  The board consists of cards that have been seen and selected by the players.  We term those board cards "hot" meaning they are more likely to contain some cards and less likely to contain others depending upon how valuable they seem to players.  Predicting what those cards might be is one of the most important objectives in playing Double Discard Hot Omaha poker.    What cards are your opponents most likely to keep?  What cards are they most likely contribute to the board cards? This assessment is very important as it influences your own discard decisions and there are different criteria to take into account for the turn and river compared to the flop. 
​
Cards that players will most likely keep are any ace, very low cards (if playing high-low split), very high cards, most pairs, high ranked suited and unsuited connected cards.  The cards they are most likely to initially discard are middle ranked cards or cards that is not well coordinated with their other cards.
Finally, as in all poker games, you must develop a sense of how strong a hand you need to win and continue beyond the flop only with made hands or draws to hands that meet your minimal hand ranking value.   When players are more likely to discard similar ranked cards expect to see the board pair fairly often.  On a paired board full houses and quads (which is what you should usually be playing for) are common.  When the board does not pair be very cautious playing any hand less than the best possible flush or straight.   Likewise, in high-low split playing anything other than the nut low poses a serious risk. 

STARTING HAND SELECTION
In Omaha based games you prefer to start with cards that gives many possibilities for winning.  Since each player starts with 6 cards and can select the most advantageous cards to keep or discard you should expect that much stronger and better coordinated starting hands are present.  This is especially true for low hands.  It is common for 1 or more players to be starting with the best low.   More pairs are also in play.  All in all, it is much more probable that players are able to combine elements of both strong starting low and high hands.

For high having a high pair or two is a good start, provided they are also coordinated to other cards.  (For example, A♣ A♦ 2♣ 3♦ ​ or   A♣ A♦ K♣ K♦).   Out of the original 6 cards, you will be dealt any 2 pair about 12% of the time and any one pair about 48%.  Should you then flop a set you now have a good draw to a full house or better.  Be careful if that pair is of a rank higher than your trips.  Without additional coordination single pairs alone (even aces) are not a good starting hand.     Suited high connected cards are helpful for flushes.   Other cards are best if they are very high cards or very low cards; middling cards tend to make mediocre full houses and lows.   High suited cards, preferably an ace with a small card give both nut flush and low hand possibilities.   If you catch a flush that is not the nuts be careful.  

For low 2A is the best and really the only start you want.  Even though 3A or 32 are only a one card draw to the nuts, the nature of the game makes it hard for them to become the best.  Unfortunately, when you have only 2 low cards in your hand there is about a 60% probability that one of them will appear on the board. This does not always mean your low is counterfeited as there are other cards that could appear that save you.  But it does mean that there is a high probability it is.  For that reason, a protected low like 32A or 42A is a far better hand.  Whenever you hold one of these low hands with an ace, you'd prefer the ace to be suited to one of your other cards.​ 

THE FLOP
 Flop cards are likely to consist of cards players value least or are least coordinated with their other cards.  In a high-low split game players will typically keep their highest and/or very lowest ranked cards.  Thus, the flop is more likely to be concentrated toward middle ranked cards.   As should be expected, in a high only game the flop is more likely made up of lower ranked cards.    In an 8 handed game there is approximately a 37.5% chance that the first card they discard will appear in the flop. ​

THE TURN and RIVER
An important feature to keep in mind is that players make their second discard decision after seeing the flop.  With this knowledge players are incentivized to select a card for the second discard that they feel most improves their hand (or, perhaps, is most disadvantageous to their opponents' hands) should it turn up as either the turn or river.   Realize that the turn and river are bound to help someone, so, if you do not improve, one or more of your opponents probably did.  In an 8 handed game there is approximately a 25% chance that the second card discarded will appear as either the turn or river.  

PREDICTING DISCARD DECISIONS
​Here is a summary of what other players are likely to do with each card when playing high-low split versions of this game.  If playing high only versions players will be far more likely to keep their highest cards and discard low cards unless they are paired or suited to an ace or king.
Ace - As the highest (and lowest) card aces will almost always keep.  May consider discarding only if not paired, not suited, not connected with other high cards (KQJT), they have no other reasonable low card (2 or 3), they hold 2 other pairs.  Even in those circumstances discarding an ace will almost certainly help another player and it is usually the worst card to discard for the flop.
2 - Will discard if they have no ace or 3, it is not paired, not suited to another high card (KQ).
3 - Will keep if they have a single ace or A2 (for "insurance), if it is suited to another high card or paired.  Might keep if they have a single 2 without ace, though that is typically a mistake.
4 -Will discard unless suited to ace or another high card or paired.  Might keep as "insurance" if holding A2 or A3.
5 through 10 - Will discard unless suited to ace or another high card, paired or suited connected.
Jack through King - Will keep if suited, connected (including gapped) or paired.

​SOME OBVIOUS DECISIONS
An obvious decision is discarding the 3rd card if you are dealt trips since you can only use 2 of your hole cards. You would love to see that 3rd card come back into play as it helps your hand enormously.  You stand a higher chance of that happening when it is your first discard.  But there are rare situations in which you might consider not following that advice.  For example, if dealt AAA2XX or A222XX you have the nut low nearly guaranteed.  If you discard the 3rd ace or deuce you face the possibility of ruining your near lock on low. 
Another clear decision for Double Discard Hot Omaha is to always keep A2 for the nut low. Players rarely discard aces so A2 is not likely to be counterfeited unless someone throws away a deuce. If you also have a 3 keep it for "insurance".  Holding a protected low of A23 you can play it strong from the start as there is very little chance of losing, though there is a decent chance you could tie with another player.  In an eight handed game if you are not dealt A2 there is about a 75% chance someone else was.  A3 has a shot at becoming the nuts but, without help, it is not likely to win on its own.  It also has about an equal chance of being ruined if someone discards a three.  32 stands little chance as do any low hands that are 2 cards from the nuts (e.g. A4).

​WHEN GOOD MAY NOT BE GOOD ENOUGH
There are some situations when hole cards, especially low ones, are appealing to play in Omaha, but are usually worthless in Double Discard Hot Omaha.  Here are some examples.
Omaha hands containing A3 or 23 are only a single board card away from making the nut low and are viable hands to play.  In Double Hot Omaha that is probably not going to happen.  You should expect that aces will rarely be discarded so 23 is hardly ever going to make the best low hand.  If you hold A3 there is a chance that a deuce may be discarded so you could get lucky with it.  There is a slight possibility it could win by itself. But, with each player having been dealt 6 hole cards it is very likely someone has A2 or even A23.  And A3 might just as easily be counterfeited if someone dumps a 3.
For high, do not count on a pocket pair of aces becoming trips.  Players rarely will discard an ace.  But you can't risk dumping them as it will most likely help other players. 

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