Dangers of Playing Omaha8 Sets

Sets are easily overturned by the river. They do not hold the save value as they would in a Texas Holdem game. If you land your straight but look at the board to see three low cards, the set is fairly weak. Not only are you forfeiting the low hand (Assuming you are playing exclusively high), but you are playing with an easily crackable high hand.

If you already have a low hand on board, you should generally consider that half of the pot gone, assuming you are playing in a multiway pot, tread carefully. You do not want to get into a bidding war with this hand. You want a cheap draw. If there is a multi raised pot before you, certainly consider folding. Personally, I will stay in the hand if it is a one call bet with a few players in the pot.

Example

Your Cards : 2-5-5-10
Flop Cards : A-5-6

From this hand, a check around the board who mean nobody is likely to have pocket AA or 10's. A one raise, and call around the table to you suggests there is only one person who could have a hand higher than yours is the raiser. Again, he may only be on a nut low with the possibility of turning the hand into a straight.

If the bets are flying around the table, you may already be behind with the high hand, no chance of the low hand. Also, any 2-3-4-7-8-9 could offer someone a straight on the turn or river card. You need a paired board to feel relatively safe but even then, you may end up with second best full house.

Ideally with so many options to bust your hand, you would want to raise to reduce the field, but if they have already called a raise, the chances are the original bettor will raise again.

If they all fold around to you, you will find yourself in a two way pot, chasing half a pot with a weakish high hand. If they all call, you have invested into a big pot with a hopeful chance of leading the high hand to the river. You may find yourself pot committed to stay in a tournament, with the fear that any low card will leave you drawing dead.

If you are involved in a heads up situation, you have more chance of winning with your trips. If someone raises you, you may come out more aggressively, a reraise may knock him off his hand. If he reraises, put on the breaks, he is probably holding the nut low with several opportunities for a straight. With the money already invested into the pot, call it down and hope for a friendly board. There is a possibility he will counterfeit one of his low cards, giving you a chance of the low, so hang in.

Loose and tight players play an entirely different game. Tight players will generally go for nut hands, whereas loose players may offer a little bit of leeway. It is your job to determine what type of player you are up against and vary your style of play accordingly.

 

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