Omahahaha

Filed in archive Poker Blogs on February 20, 2007

WOW, I got dealt quads and only straight flush or better four of a kind can beat me!

Or not.

As basic rules of Omaha say you must use two of the four cards in your hand to complete a five card poker hand with the board cards that are also used in Texas Hold Em'. Seeing that there's no duplicate two of diamonds in the deck, I cannot make a flush nor a straight. A lowly pair of twos to do battle with knowing there is no chance of improvement, its an auto-fold right?

Not so fast.

First, this is Pot Limit Omaha Eight or Better and the deuce can be a powerful card as it is always part of the nut low in some way (in your hand or on the board), and is part of making a wheel (straight from Ace to Five, which is also the best low possible, guaranteeing you half the pot). If you've moved beyond basic strategy and have opponents who are actually aware of the board texture and the possible hands that go along with the board, you could try representing a wheel, knowing no one else can have it.

Flop comes A 4 5 rainbow (yes, a dream flop but this is my fantasy ok?), a pre flop early position raiser who is a regular in the game decides to bet the pot, you sitting in middle position have two options:

a) Re-raise and hopefully take down the pot right there
b) Flat call looking forward to pushing any non-pairing turn card and represent the wheel and put the opponent to the test

Yes, this is a high-risk play (and extremely rare case of being dealt quads) but hopefully it will make you think twice of pitching away your cards before seeing possibilities of taking down a nice pot without a showdown. And if you're really savvy, show your bluff and maybe earn a few donkey points and next time get called down while holding the hand you're representing.