PLAYING TIPS for OMAHA DOUBLE CROSS POKER
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HOW TO PLAY OMAHA DOUBLE CROSS POKER
Played like Omaha using board cards arranged in a cross shape. Deal each player 4 hole cards. The board cards are placed face down and consist of 9 cards arranged in a cross shape with 5 vertical cards and 5 horizontal cards. Reveal the 4 outer cards (1, 4, 5, 8), then the single middle card (M) and lastly the 4 inner cards (2, 3, 6, 7) with a round of betting between. Players make their hand by using exactly 2 hole cards plus exactly 3 cards from either the vertical or horizontal row. The cards from the board that may be used are: The 5 vertical cards (12M34) or the 5 horizontal cards (56M78). 1
2 5 6 M 7 8 3 4 |
SUMMARY of ACTION
Deal 4 hole cards to each player. Arrange board cards. Bet Reveal 4 cards (1,4,5,8) Bet Reveal middle card (M). Bet Reveal 4 cards (2,3,6,7) Bet High only or Hi-Lo Cards Speak: Showdown High-Low Declaration: Declare Bet Showdown |
PLAYING TIPS for OMAHA DOUBLE CROSS POKER
In Omaha Double Cross poker there are total of 20 three card combinations on the board, double the number in "original" Omaha. With additional combinations in play there are twice as many opportunities to draw the cards you want making it is easier to draw big hands, both high and low. It also gives more opportunities for what started out as the best low hand to be counterfeited. On the other hand, with many common cards to choose from, even a mediocre starting hand can emerge a winner.
How coordinated the board cards coupled with the number of cards in play will determine the usual winning hand. When a straight or flush is the best possible hand, you will want the best one. When playing high-low, you will want nothing less than the 2nd best low. Even that may not prove to be a winner as there are often multiple hole cards that make the nut low. When there is a pair or 2 on the board you will want at least one of the premium full houses.
2 Pair board - premium full house or 4 of a kind
1 Pair board - full house (top half)
No pair, 3 suited cards - best flush
No pair, no 3 suited cards - best straight
In Omaha Double Cross poker there are total of 20 three card combinations on the board, double the number in "original" Omaha. With additional combinations in play there are twice as many opportunities to draw the cards you want making it is easier to draw big hands, both high and low. It also gives more opportunities for what started out as the best low hand to be counterfeited. On the other hand, with many common cards to choose from, even a mediocre starting hand can emerge a winner.
How coordinated the board cards coupled with the number of cards in play will determine the usual winning hand. When a straight or flush is the best possible hand, you will want the best one. When playing high-low, you will want nothing less than the 2nd best low. Even that may not prove to be a winner as there are often multiple hole cards that make the nut low. When there is a pair or 2 on the board you will want at least one of the premium full houses.
2 Pair board - premium full house or 4 of a kind
1 Pair board - full house (top half)
No pair, 3 suited cards - best flush
No pair, no 3 suited cards - best straight
STARTING HAND SELECTION
In Omaha based games you want to have been dealt a hand that gives many possibilities for winning. With 4 hole cards, there are 6 couples of 2 cards available. The more the couples are coordinated, the better the starting hand. Strong starting holdings are those that have multiple chances of leading to a winning full house, flush, straight or the best low. Combining elements of good starting low and high hands gives you the best shot. Some examples of starting hands with both excellent high and low potential: A♣ A ♥K♣ 2♥, K♥ K♠ 2♥ A♠, A♠ A♦2♦3♠.
For high having one or two high pair is a good start. (You will be dealt any 2 pair about 3% of the time and any one pair about 30%.) Should you then flop a set you now have a good draw to a full house or better. This will require a pair appearing in either the vertical or horizontal boards. Be cautious if that pair is of a rank higher than your trips since you are very possibly up against a better full house. Straights are seldom the best possible hand so unsuited connected cards are usually only valuable if they can be played for low. Suited cards, preferably an ace with a small card to give both nut flush and low hand possibilities. Trips in your hand are worthless since you can only use 2 cards.
For low 2A is the best start. 3A or 32 gives you a one card draw to the nuts. In fact, in Omaha Double Cross having low cards that are even a 2 card draw to the nuts (4A, 42, 43) may be worth playing. Unfortunately, having only 2 low cards in your hand is a very vulnerable hand. There is a good chance that one of them will appear on the board. With all the cards out there, that may not necessarily ruin you low, but there is a good chance it will. For that reason, a protected low like 32A or 42A is a far better starting 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 to add flush potential.
In Omaha based games you want to have been dealt a hand that gives many possibilities for winning. With 4 hole cards, there are 6 couples of 2 cards available. The more the couples are coordinated, the better the starting hand. Strong starting holdings are those that have multiple chances of leading to a winning full house, flush, straight or the best low. Combining elements of good starting low and high hands gives you the best shot. Some examples of starting hands with both excellent high and low potential: A♣ A ♥K♣ 2♥, K♥ K♠ 2♥ A♠, A♠ A♦2♦3♠.
For high having one or two high pair is a good start. (You will be dealt any 2 pair about 3% of the time and any one pair about 30%.) Should you then flop a set you now have a good draw to a full house or better. This will require a pair appearing in either the vertical or horizontal boards. Be cautious if that pair is of a rank higher than your trips since you are very possibly up against a better full house. Straights are seldom the best possible hand so unsuited connected cards are usually only valuable if they can be played for low. Suited cards, preferably an ace with a small card to give both nut flush and low hand possibilities. Trips in your hand are worthless since you can only use 2 cards.
For low 2A is the best start. 3A or 32 gives you a one card draw to the nuts. In fact, in Omaha Double Cross having low cards that are even a 2 card draw to the nuts (4A, 42, 43) may be worth playing. Unfortunately, having only 2 low cards in your hand is a very vulnerable hand. There is a good chance that one of them will appear on the board. With all the cards out there, that may not necessarily ruin you low, but there is a good chance it will. For that reason, a protected low like 32A or 42A is a far better starting 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 to add flush potential.
THE BOARD CARDS
There are twice as many hand combinations available in Omaha Double Cross poker than "standard" Omaha. It can be complicated, and you need to pay close attention. You must also be aware of all the board cards in order to help you in assessing the likely winning hands. As always, how coordinated the board cards are will dictate what the likely winner will be, and it is often the best possible hand. Board cards will frequently have at least straight possibilities. Flush possibilities are also relatively common. If there are no pairs on the board, you will want the nut flush. There is a good chance that a pair will appear on the board, which makes full houses or quads real possibilities and renders flushes vulnerable. While a set of trips appearing on the board is a longshot, it bears mentioning this: In an 8-handed game there are a total of 28 cards held by the other 7 players, thus there is a good possibility (about 70% if all are still active) that one of them holds the case card. So, even If you hold a pair of aces in your hand giving you the best full house it may not be enough. Additionally, even 1 other card on the board that is of a rank higher than the trips makes a bigger full house possible.
There are twice as many hand combinations available in Omaha Double Cross poker than "standard" Omaha. It can be complicated, and you need to pay close attention. You must also be aware of all the board cards in order to help you in assessing the likely winning hands. As always, how coordinated the board cards are will dictate what the likely winner will be, and it is often the best possible hand. Board cards will frequently have at least straight possibilities. Flush possibilities are also relatively common. If there are no pairs on the board, you will want the nut flush. There is a good chance that a pair will appear on the board, which makes full houses or quads real possibilities and renders flushes vulnerable. While a set of trips appearing on the board is a longshot, it bears mentioning this: In an 8-handed game there are a total of 28 cards held by the other 7 players, thus there is a good possibility (about 70% if all are still active) that one of them holds the case card. So, even If you hold a pair of aces in your hand giving you the best full house it may not be enough. Additionally, even 1 other card on the board that is of a rank higher than the trips makes a bigger full house possible.
LOW HOLE CARD PROBABILITIES
Approximate chances of these LOW hands being dealt to you as your 4 hole cards.
Approximate chances of these LOW hands being dealt to you as your 4 hole cards.
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4 Card Hand
A2XX A3XX or 23XX --- A23X Any 4-low (3 cards) Any 5-low (3 cards) --- A234 Any 5-low (4 cards) Any 6-low (4 cards) Any 7-low (4 cards) |
Percent Probability
7.2% 14.4% --- 1.2% 3.6% 7.2% --- 0.09% 0.36% 0.9% 1.8% |
Odds Probability
13:1 6:1 --- 82:1 27:1 13:1 --- 1110:1 277:1 110:1 55:1 |
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