Variance in Pot Limit Omaha

Pot Limit Omaha / Marcus Bateman / 25 May 2010 / Leave a Comment

Moaning about your luck in poker is akin to moaning about getting wet if you go swimming, and nowhere is this more true than in Omaha games.

One of the things that surprises many players who are brought up on Hold'em when they first start playing Omaha is just how large the variance is. Unlike Hold'em, where the edges are pretty starkly defined, Omaha is a game with much more murky edges and marginal spots. This makes the game much more swingy - akin to the difference between betting on 75/25 propositions and betting on the flip of a coin with a 1% advantage.

As a result, Omaha not only requires a bigger bankroll than Hold'em (to weather the swings), but also more mental strength, as the runs of bad luck are considerably longer. This can make it one of the most infuriating games to play, as you can easily play near perfect poker and still lose for long periods.

That being said, this is one of the aspects of Omaha that make it very profitable for skilled players, as it is a game that you can win at even if the opponent is better than you at the actual game. Even the most incredible genius at Omaha will lose if they are mentally unstable in the face of the sick variance the game throws up. All variants of poker have the ability to tilt players, but there is perhaps no more tilting game out there than Omaha - it is simply so wild that it can drive even the most battle hardened grinder to distraction.

Because of this, when approaching the game it is important to stay focussed on quite how large the variance is. In Omaha you will lose hand after hand where you are favourite, and being prepared for this is fundamental to success at the game. Moaning about your luck in poker is akin to moaning about getting wet if you go swimming, and nowhere is this more true than in Omaha games. Stay calm in the face of adversity and you will already have a sizeable edge over most of the players at the table when playing Omaha - and this can add up to huge profits if you stay mentally composed over time.

Omaha Week: Part One - An Introduction