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Lesson: 5
In Pot Limit...
Clonie Gowen
April 11, 2005
Most Pot Limit Omaha players know that Omaha is a game of "the
nuts." In a multi-way pot, the winning hand is, more often
than not, the best possible hand out there. When you start with
four cards, you have six different possible two-card hands. This
increases the chances that someone is holding the nuts. What many
beginning Pot Limit Omaha players do not understand is that Omaha
is really a game of redraws.
A redraw means that after the flop, you not only have some kind
of made hand, you also have draws to a better hand. Having redraws
in Pot Limit Omaha is so important that it is sometimes mathematically
correct to fold the nuts on the flop. For example: suppose you raise
in the late position with Ac Kh Tc 9h -- a very good starting Omaha
hand. Two players call and you see the flop three-handed. The flop
comes 6d 7s 8s. You've flopped the nut straight, which is the best
hand possible at the moment. The problem is that you have absolutely
no chance to improve your hand. This is as good as it gets. This
may be okay if both of your opponents check to you. But, if one
opponent makes a pot-sized bet and the next one makes a pot-sized
raise, then what do you do? How can you fold the nuts?
If one of your opponents has flopped a set, and the other player
-- or possibly even the same player -- has a flush draw, you are
almost a 2-1 dog to win the pot. If one of those opponents has the
same straight as you with a flush draw as well, or a wrap to a higher
straight (such as 9,T,J), your hand is even worse because you can
only win half the pot even if you don't lose to a flush or full
house. You have to ask yourself what your opponents would possibly
be betting and raising with on this flop. If there is a chance that
all of the redraws are out against you, then you should always fold.
If both of your opponents check and either one is tricky enough
to be capable of a check raise, then you should still check this
flop. If a blank comes on the turn - the 3c for instance -- your
hand will be much stronger. Keep in mind, though, that if all of
those draws are still out against you, even now you're not much
better than 50% to win this pot.
Having multiple redraws to the nuts is much better in Omaha than
having the best hand at the moment. Lay this hand down and save
your chips for use in a better spot.
Clonie Gowen
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