Omaha / 8 (part I):

Over the past few years, Omaha eight or better has become one of the most popular poker forms, especially at the lower limits ($3-6, 4-8). One of the reasons for the game's popularity might be that quite often, pots tend to be rather big. What people often forget is that there is usually a lot less chip movement than the size of the pot suggests. If you win half the pot in a three- or four-way contest, you will have invested a substantial portion of the pot yourself, and therefore your net win is usually relatively small when the pot gets split. (This is even more so in heads up situations. If two players get into a raising war, possibly because one holds a lock for high and the other for low, they will put in a LOT of chips just to carve up a tiny bit of dead money, and even though the pot size may be huge, their net win will be a lot less impressive). Combined with the often very high rake (especially when the pots get split), the tips, the slow pace of the game and the need to invest a lot of chips to -most of the time- get back only half the pot, things often look much better than they really are. Actually, very big wins in this game are a lot less likely than most people would expect.

Having said that, Omaha / 8 can be a very profitable game, even when you're not an expert player (yet). The reason is simple. At the lower limits, most people play so poorly that just playing very tight, and selecting quality hands only, may be good enough to make you a definite favorite over these players. (If you are enough of a favorite to come out a substantial winner is another matter; for now let's say that if you can quickly become a somewhat better than average player by simply adhering to a few easy rules, then you should probably not have any reasons for complaints). I will now give you seven of these guidelines that should be of benefit, while working your way up to become a good or even excellent Omaha / 8 player.

Rolf's Rule # 1
When you are just starting out, you should play high-quality hands only. Fold all marginal hands, because you are simply too inexperienced to play them.

Rolf's Rule # 2
You should select hands that have got potential to scoop the entire pot, rather than just half of it. This might mean low hands that can turn into high (hands like A234 that can make a wheel to win both high and low; also hands like A2xx with the ace suited so you can make the nut-flush + nut-low), but also high hands that can scoop the entire pot when there is no low - hands like KQJT or QQKJ.

Rolf's Rule # 3
As a relatively new player, you should continue after the flop only when you are drawing to the nuts in at least one direction. If you've got some potential for high, and some potential for low when you are in a three-way pot, your two opponents are likely to carve up your money. If you have nut potential for both high and low, but it's only backdoor (i.e., you need to catch runner-runner to make your hand, for instance when you hold A23x and there's only one low card on the flop), then simply fold your hand. The only exception might be when the pot is very big and you can call on the flop for one bet only - a call that closes the betting (meaning there are no players behind you still to act, people that might raise or even check-raise). Never call when all you have is a backdoor nut-low draw. You've got the odds against you (see part III of this series), and even if you make your hand you will probably get only half the pot.

Rolf's Rule # 4
The nature of (limit) high-low poker is that pots often get split. If you are playing in your average loose low-limit Omaha game, it is not unusual to see three- or four-way pots, where one player has the nut low (draw) and another has the nut high (draw). These two players are likely to chop up the money that the other players have put in with their non-nut hands. You should try to avoid getting into the bad situation of having your money carved up, simply by drawing to nut hands only.

Rolf's Rule # 5
When you are holding a nut high that cannot be split in a three-way pot and there's a bet and a call in front of you, then you should just about always raise. You are freerolling here: in the worst-case scenario, you will break even on the extra money you put in (one player has the low, the third player folds, the pot gets split), but if the third player sticks around you might be able to win some extra money, free of risk. However, if you have a high hand that can easily be split, or you have the nut low but you suspect someone may have the same hand as you, then raising in this same situation is not automatic. In fact, even though you hold the nuts in one direction, raising might actually cost you money if one player gets half the pot, and you and the third player both get quartered.

Rolf's Rule # 6
Just because you're a relatively inexperienced player, doesn't mean you should play (your draws) passively. Whenever your hand warrants it, don't be afraid to jam the pot on the flop, and sometimes even on the turn as well. Don't think "you've got nothing yet" with the nut-low draw and the nut-flush draw; jamming the pot early in the hand might well be highly profitable for you - and therefore the recommended play.

Rolf's Rule # 7
Practice, practice, practice so you always know what the current nut hands are. In this game, almost all players have misread their hands from time to time; make sure this doesn't happen to you.

Some final words
This concluded seven of the most important rules of thumb for the novice Omaha / 8 player. In the second part of this series, I will get into starting hand selection. Take care, you guys, and good luck.

Look for more information on this topic in Rolf Slotboom's forum.