Tips for Omaha Poker Hand Selection Pre-Flop
Omaha poker is very crucial at pre-flop play. We have to make sure we have strong starting to be able to get some good chances post flop or even at the turn or river play. So here are some tips on how to analyze starting hands at pre-flop play of an Omaha poker game.
First tip is that with big pairs at pre-flop we have to aim at having a big full-house. Like high pocket pairs. They are good when we hit a set pre-flop in an Omaha poker game. Otherwise even high pocket pairs become useless in the hand.
Hands that lend many straight possibilities are also excellent pre-flop starting hands in Omaha poker. An example is connecting cards. For instance, JT98 is a flexible hand that affords multi-possibilities for a straight. With a choice between JT98 and QJ56 we are better off holding the former due to the numerous potential for forming a straight later on in the Omaha poker game.
Suited cards are also good hands in the game if they draw or call to nut flushes, like an ace-high flush. If not suited cards are a bit unpredictable and are apt to put us in danger. Non-ace suited cards in an Omaha poker game are good only for re-draw purposes, multi-draws, or flushes with back-door draws. Merely drawing to a non-nut flush is useless in Omaha poker.
When we're talking of lower-value cards, like low and middle pocket pairs, we talk of hands that we should fold in Omaha poker. For instance, a hand 5588 is better folded than played. These hands will not perform well even with hit sets. They won't stand against common hands like higher sets, straights, or flushes.
Finally, hand selection in Omaha poker also has to do with positioning. From early position we should often bet our starting hand, even the nuts. The reason is, for instance, if the board has 567 and we have 899A, anyone at the table could easily come up with a drawn full house, a high straight or flush. So we should bet our hand. Giving away free cards is a disaster. Hence, at Omaha poker, as at any poker game, playing from late position has a big advantage.
Omaha poker games are dependent on strong pre-flop starting hands. At least starting hands should have the potential of developing into strong draws in poker. If not, most starting hands in the game are better folded than played.