Omaha Poker Online is the less popular sister to Texas Hold 'Em No Limit. All rooms offer many different variations of Texas Hold 'Em, but most of the time there are only a few offers Omaha Hold`em Poker for the online version. Less common poker formats (e.g. Spin n Go) are much less likely to be offered under Omaha rules, although MTT and Cash Game tables will usually not be difficult.
TOP poker rooms
There are several aspects that are affecting the popularity of Omaha Poker online. One of the most important is probably the much greater variation in the game. Omaha rules inevitably reduce the absolute value of each hand and increase the strength and chance of a draw, making it much harder to predict the strongest hand in this format. The second important reason is complexity. Although Texas Hold 'Em and Omaha differ in only a few rules, Omaha (especially Pot Limit) will be much more difficult for an online novice to understand.
Differences between Omaha Poker online and Texas Hold 'Em
Every Omaha newcomer moving from Texas Hold 'Em only needs to remember a few new rules, but they are all very important. In fact, there are only two major differences:
- Players receive 4 cards instead of 2.
- A hand is formed using 2 cards in the hand and 3 on the board.
As almost all Texas Hold 'Em players know, in this format you only get two 2 hole cards, and you can make a hand using any number of cards in your hand (from 0 to 2). In Omaha, a hand can be made up only from 2 cards in hand and 3 on the table. This means that there are situations in Omaha where you can't make a hand in the same way as in Texas Hold 'Em.
For example, if there are 4 hearts on the table, but we only have 1 heart in our hand when playing Omaha, we cannot make a Flush. A flush can only be made if there are at least 3 cards of the same type on the table and there are also at least 2 cards of the same type in the hand.
Although we'll discuss strategy later, any poker player with a little bit of experience will realise that hand strengths in Omaha Poker vary widely both online and offline. Hands are made with a 4-card draw, which means that pairs, draws and all other combinations are automatically multiplied. Hands such as pockets are also not of the same strength as the Texas Hold 'Em variant.
Pot Limit Omaha Online - the most played structure
Another common difference when playing Omaha Poker Online is the betting structure. Although both Omaha and Texas Hold 'Em offer several types of betting structures (No Limit, Pot Limit, Fixed Limit, and others), most players play No Limit or Pot Limit online. Interestingly, the most popular betting structure for Texas Hold 'Em is No Limit online, while Omaha Hold`em Pot Limit online. Omaha Hold 'Em Pot Limit is often abbreviated to PLO (Pot Limit Omaha). However, there is also a slightly less common betting structure used both online and offline - Fixed Limit. Fixed Limit is essentially the simplest, but offers far fewer options in the game as it severely limits any betting options.
Three betting structures
No Limit
No Limit betting structures are familiar to almost everyone. The main feature of this betting structure, as well as others, is the maximum bet. In No Limit poker, there is no maximum bet limit. Any player can put all his chips (or money) in the middle at any stage when it is his turn. In most other formats, the maximum bet is much more limited. However, the minimum bet is the same in almost all structures - 1 BB.
Pot Limit
The Pot Limit structure is very different from No Limit. In Pot Limit games, the maximum bet is calculated based on the pot and the bets of the other players. At any stage of the game (preflop, flop, turn, river) maximum bet is calculated as follows:
Max bet = (bet to be called) + (pot that includes bets on this street)
For example:
Table blinds $2/$5, four players
Banks - $20
Player A bets $5
In order to calculate Player B's chances of breaking even, he must first respond to the $5 bet. The pot is then calculated as $20 + $5 + $5 = $30. To this pot is added the answer to Player A's bet ($5) Therefore, Player A's B's maximum bet is $35.
Player C needs to call the bet at $35.
Admittedly, both the example and the formula look rather clumsy, and the calculations are not easy to do in practice. Pot Limit Omaha newcomers may need to practice calculating the maximum bet. Of course, playing Pot Limit online will not present any such challenges, as probably all poker rooms automatically set all bet sizes. No calculations or head scratching are required when playing online.
One of the most interesting aspects of Pot Limit is the unlimited maximum number of Buy In. Unlike No Limit poker, you cannot overbet the pot in this betting structure, which removes the main reason for the Buy In limit.
Fixed Limit
Fixed Limit is the least commonly used betting structure in poker. As the name of this betting structure suggests, the Fixed Limit has heavily capped bets. Games with this structure are usually described by the names "Small Bet" and "Big Bet", for example $4/$8.
In Fixed Limit games, bets are limited by streets. Preflop and flop bets are limited to Small Bet only, while turn and river bets are limited to Big Bet only. Players may also only bet at the following sizes. For example, if Player A bets $4, Player B can only raise up to $8 and so on.
No Limit Omaha Poker - the forgotten poker format
As many poker players may have noticed, Texas Hold 'Em is almost always played in No Limit and Omaha in Pot Limit. Why doesn't anyone play No Limit Omaha online? More than one poker player has asked this question.
One of the differences in Omaha poker is that it has more cards but a more restricted hand. Having four cards in a hand results in lower absolute hand values. For example, an AAKK double suited will only be a pre-70% favourite against the range. Many hands are much closer to 50/50 than in Texas Hold 'Em. Also, in Omaha it is much more important to have draws, as there are more opportunities to make them. This means that a lot more of the game's decisions are concentrated on the postflop, while the preflop game will be closer to a coin flip in most cases (or a very clear dominance in rare cases).
Variation probably contributes to the unpopularity of No Limit Omaha. Both No Limit Omaha and Pot Limit Omaha have significantly more variation than Texas Hold 'Em. Of all the betting structures, of course, all No Limit games have the most variation, as there is no maximum bet limit. Fixed Limit games have the lowest variance, but as mentioned earlier, this betting structure is the least used. Pot Limit online and offline is a happy medium between high and low variance.
Switching to Omaha Hold 'Em Poker
Many Lithuanian poker players (as well as poker players around the world) spend most of their time playing Texas Hold 'Em. What is the best way for a veteran Texas Hold 'Em player to make the transition to Omaha and remain a profitable player?
One of the most important principles for a beginner is to play far fewer weaker hands. Four cards in a hand allows any player to make more combinations. This means that the relative value of hands drops significantly in Omaha poker.
For example, of course, depending on the number of players, Top Pair Top Kicker Texas Hold 'Em can quite often be a winning hand. Whereas in Omaha Hold 'Em, such hands will usually be losing hands. This is due to two factors:
- It is much easier to make more combinations with 4 cards
- Limited stakes allow more players to get involved
Omaha Hold`em In poker, straight/flush draws also have more value, so players are much more likely to get good odds to call. The flop will usually have more people involved, which again has a higher chance of making the nuts.
The most common advice given to Texas Hold 'Em players is to play much more threadbare Omaha Hold`em Online and offline poker. There will be a lot more strong hands before the river. Even the bottom sets are not something spectacular in Omaha poker.
Omaha Online Conditions and Fields
Omaha Hold 'Em online poker is played as Pot Limit in almost all rooms. No Limit Omaha may have to be found in little-known or illegal poker rooms. This poker format is simply not popular enough for rooms to offer it.
Omaha Pot Limit offers can be found in almost all poker rooms, but these will usually be Cash game tables. Some rooms have offered Omaha Spin n' Go or other formats, but unfortunately these are also not very popular choices, so the field can be quite narrow or almost non-existent.
In practice, playing Omaha poker online means waiting a little longer and hunting for tables, but there is an advantage to this aspect. This version of poker is much less scrutinised and less filled with both good and average looks. Finding fish and recreational players in Omaha can be much easier than in Texas Hold 'Em.
Omaha Poker rules in brief
We've already covered the rules of Omaha Hold 'Em poker several times, so we'll just present them here in a condensed and easily accessible format:
- Each player receives 4 cards face up.
- A hand is formed using only 2 cards in the hand and 3 on the table.
- A hand cannot be made with 1, 0, 3 or 4 cards in the hand.
Pot limit rules
- Maximum bet limit. The maximum raise is the answer to the opponent's bet + the pot resulting from the answer.
- The preflop pot and bets are calculated based on the small and big blind + using the first rule.
- There is usually no limit to the maximum number of buy ins in Omaha poker.
No limit rules
- There is no maximum bet limit.
- Preflop bets and the pot are determined by the small and big blind.
Omaha poker strategies and their availability
It will be much more difficult to access Omaha Poker training materials online. As it is a less popular format, strategy discussions and other materials are much less available. In most cases, you will only be able to find abstract descriptions of strategy unless you are looking for a trainer or expensive training. Of course, this can also be an advantage as there is a lower percentage of regular players in this game.
Pot limit strategies
One of the simplest tips in Omaha Pot Limit poker is threeness. As mentioned earlier, Omaha poker has a much higher number of strong hands, so it is usually not worth dragging weak pairs to the river.
Secondly, the betting structure in this game means that more people will be involved in the pots and fewer will be eliminated. In Omaha, draw hands, which can easily produce strong straights and flushes, are often extremely valuable. More advanced players should re-evaluate the values and probabilities of blockers, flopped hands and draws in Omaha Poker Online and Omaha Pot Limit Online.
EN 
LT 
DE 
FR 
SV 
ES 
IT 
FI 
LV 
SK 
SL 
TR