PLAYING TIPS for OMAHA-5 (Hot Omaha) POKER
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HOW TO PLAY OMAHA FIVE Poker (aka Hot Omaha):
Omaha-5 Poker is played like Omaha with this twist: Deal 5 cards down to each player. Before any betting each player must discard one hole card face down in the middle of the table, leaving them with 4 cards. The discards are shuffled or mixed together. 5 of these discarded cards are drawn and used as the flop, turn and river. Play continues exactly like Omaha. May be played high, high-low split or high-low eight or better. |
SUMMARY of ACTION
Deal 5 hole cards to each player. Each player selects 1 card from their hand and discards it face down. Gather and mix/shuffle all discarded cards. Use these cards to deal flop, turn and river. Bet Deal 3 cards from discards as flop. Bet Deal 1 card from discards as turn. Bet Deal 1 card from discards as river. Bet High only: Showdown High-low split: Declare Bet Showdown |
PLAYING TIPS for OMAHA-FIVE POKER
There are an enormous number of books, articles and other information to guide you in playing Omaha. Most of that information will be very helpful in playing just about any version of Omaha, including Omaha-Five. It is well worth your time to learn from those sources. So, these playing tips are not going to get into any of that knowledge. But, Omaha-Five poker has important differences compared to "regular" Omaha and has to be played considerably differently.
In Omaha the flop, turn and river consist of random cards that come from the unseen deck. There is a equal chance that any card may appear. In contrast, the board cards in Omaha-Five poker are not random. The board consists of cards that have been seen and selected by the players. The board is "hot" meaning the board is more likely to contain some cards and less likely to contain others depending upon how valuable they seem to players. Predicting what those cards are is one of the important objectives in playing Omaha-Five poker.
Omaha-5 should be considered a game of the nuts, meaning that it is usually the case that you will need the very best possible hand to win. How coordinated the board cards are will determine the usual winning hand. This is especially true when a straight or flush is the best possible hand and for the low hand if playing a high-low version.
There are an enormous number of books, articles and other information to guide you in playing Omaha. Most of that information will be very helpful in playing just about any version of Omaha, including Omaha-Five. It is well worth your time to learn from those sources. So, these playing tips are not going to get into any of that knowledge. But, Omaha-Five poker has important differences compared to "regular" Omaha and has to be played considerably differently.
In Omaha the flop, turn and river consist of random cards that come from the unseen deck. There is a equal chance that any card may appear. In contrast, the board cards in Omaha-Five poker are not random. The board consists of cards that have been seen and selected by the players. The board is "hot" meaning the board is more likely to contain some cards and less likely to contain others depending upon how valuable they seem to players. Predicting what those cards are is one of the important objectives in playing Omaha-Five poker.
Omaha-5 should be considered a game of the nuts, meaning that it is usually the case that you will need the very best possible hand to win. How coordinated the board cards are will determine the usual winning hand. This is especially true when a straight or flush is the best possible hand and for the low hand if playing a high-low version.
STARTING HAND SELECTION
In Omaha based games you want to start with cards that gives many possibilities for winning. Since each player starts with 5 cards and can select the most advantageous cards to keep you should expect that 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 5 cards, you will be dealt any 2 pair about 5% of the time and any one pair about 42%. Should you then flop a set you now have a good draw to a full house or better. But, be careful if that pair is of a rank higher than your trips. Without additional coordination single pairs alone (even aces) are not very good starting hands. Suited high connected cards are helpful for flushes and straights. 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. You don't want to see trips in you hand since you can only use 2 cards.
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.
In Omaha based games you want to start with cards that gives many possibilities for winning. Since each player starts with 5 cards and can select the most advantageous cards to keep you should expect that 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 5 cards, you will be dealt any 2 pair about 5% of the time and any one pair about 42%. Should you then flop a set you now have a good draw to a full house or better. But, be careful if that pair is of a rank higher than your trips. Without additional coordination single pairs alone (even aces) are not very good starting hands. Suited high connected cards are helpful for flushes and straights. 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. You don't want to see trips in you hand since you can only use 2 cards.
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.