If you have been paying close attention to the world of high stakes tournament poker in recent months, surely you have noted a phenomenon which is becoming harder and harder to ignore. Specifically, a broad swath of poker fanatics of both amateur and professional status is switching their attention away from no-limit holdem to the game of Omaha .

 

Many in the poker community had predicted this turn of events for some time. It is inevitable that when a variant like Texas holdem experiences such a massive explosion in widespread popularity, that certain saturation point will be reached.

 

While there is still quite a bit of life left in the Texas holdem revolution, it is obvious that Omaha is staging a serious run at rivaling holdem’s brand name value.

 

What to think of when switching games

 

What does all this mean, if you, like most people, have devoted the majority of your attention in recent years to mastering Texas holdem? Simply, that it is in your interest to broaden your horizons and learn as much as possible about Omaha .

 

In particular, you will be interested to know what specific tips are worth bearing in mind in order to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Four Hole Cards

The sheer amount of number of calculations you will be called upon to make immediately upon seeing your four hole cards sets Omaha apart from all other poker variants, including holdem and seven-card stud. You are essentially starting with the equivalent of six holdem hands. Among the first things you should look for in your quartet of pocket cards are suited cards.

 

You will be even better off to find yourself in possession of double-suited cards. On top of that potentiality, consecutive runners usually indicate a solid starting hand. When playing a game of standard Omaha (in contrast to the hi-lo option), you’ll focus to a far greater extent on runners of greater value.

 

Be sure to note that high-value pocket pairs do not hold nearly as much potential in Omaha as they do in Texas holdem.

All about the nuts

In the majority of situations, Omaha will be won by the player with the best hand. This is a stark difference from holdem, which is based to a much larger degree on effective bluffing and psyching out your opponents. As a result, you are apt to encounter showdowns with greater frequency while playing this variant.

 

Thus, having the nuts should be your ultimate goal. The second-best hand in contention is rarely going to get the job done. This is quite different from the situation when you play holdem poker.

 

At its core, you could say that Omaha success depends on playing proper percentages and making savvy calls. The flop plays a huge role, yielding a ton of information lots more about the hand you will be able to assemble. With such an intense focus on the flop, it only makes sense that drawing hands is a key feature of Omaha .

 

So called normal flops (as in two pair) aren’t particularly solid, so you're better off not raising with less than aces or kings. By always seeing the actual value of the cards as your most demanding priority, you should be able to make a strong transition from Texas holdem to Omaha .