Marcus Bateman / Marcus Bateman / 01 August 2008 / Leave a comment

There is a class of poker player at the Omaha tables who simply play nut hands.

They sit back, call pre flop with big pairs, suited aces and wrap hands, and will only commit chips to the pot with the best possible hand. Although this style is just about profitable at the low stakes (where inexperienced players go way too far with junk), at higher stakes these players get eaten alive, as they don't understand one of the key concepts of Omaha - that you can bluff a lot more than basically any other poker variant.

Bluffing is one of the key weapons to a skilled Omaha player, but certain criteria have to be met to make the play viable. Because the board changes so quickly in Omaha (eg the board pairing, a possible straight being made, or three to a flush coming out on either turn or river) it is often relatively simple to pick out spots to bluff when you are in position. As covered in last weeks Omaha article, being in position enables you to see how your opponent responds to these board changes, giving you the ability to attack any weakness. As a result, the first key criteria that needs to be met before thinking about bluffing in Omaha is having position during the hand.

The second key point (and one which can only really be gained through being in position) is having a decent reason to bluff. Has your opponent checked twice? Has the board made both a flush and straight possible against their suspected set? Due to how quickly the board changes in Omaha, coupled with the fact that usually the nut hands will be out there, it gives numerous great opportunities for a skilled player to pick up pots when their opponent becomes uncomfortable with their holding.

The great thing about starting to try and steal pots with position and on deteriorating boards, is that you can quickly classify your opponents into two basic categories, both of whom are easy to make profit from. You will encounter stubborn players who simply refuse to give you credit and call you down lightly. Anyone who calls down lightly in Omaha will lose money very quickly as the hands are so often out there. Just sit back, bet your monsters and let their stubbornness pay off. The second player type will be the player who habitually folds without the nuts. These are just as easy to profit from as you can steal so many pots from them when the board changes.

Notice that this ease of profit only comes about through playing in position and close observation of the opponent. In no other variation of poker are these concepts as important as Omaha - forget them at your peril.