Omaha Hi/Low Pot Manipulation
Omaha High/low can be a frustrating game to play. The game can change so quickly on the turn of a card. More so than Texas Holdem because Omaha Hi/low is a game of split pots. There are more possible winning combinations. Sometimes you find yourself with top high hand only for other players to catch the best low. If they also have a chance of catching top high by the river, the game could turn into a dangerous betting race.
If you are only chasing the high hand, the betting race can be very dangerous. If your best hand develops into a beatable hand, you could be in trouble.
In a heavy betting three way pot, you have already given up your share of the low half. When the betting has gone wild, often is is wiser to fold before you get too deeply involved, unless you feel pretty confident your high hand will hold on to the river. You don't want to end up with second best high hand. This can seriously dent your chipstack. You need to use a method of manipulating the betting.
Holding the nut high does not always mean you should push the betting.
Example :
Your Hand 2-3-10-10
Board 3-4-10 (2 suited)
You have the nut high, 3 of a kind. Remember you can only use two of your four cards. Hands like this often confuse newer players who misread the board and think they have landed the full house.
There is a possible flush on board, and a possible low ended straight. Your chances of landing the low hand is greatly diminished due to the 3 canceling out one of your low cards.
The dangerous board dictate that you should try to see the turn card as cheaply as possible. It has the benefits of keeping everyone in the pot should you improve your hand. It also offers you an easy out, should a bad card fall. Not only that, players are unlikely to realize you are holding the nut high.
Should the board pair up on the turn card, giving you the full house, you should bet into the pot you are hoping to extract value from those players chasing the low and others who may have caught a lower full house.
Example :
Your Hand 2-3-10-10
Board 3-4-4-10
At this time, a betting war would be great. You want to build up the pot. A low card on the river is likely to lose your low half of the pot but a high card is likely to let you scoop the pot.
When manipulating the pot, you are hoping to drag in players who are chasing the low draw. You are hoping to keep players in who have a lesser high hand. Make their draws expensive, and if they do hit the nut low, wiping away half of your pot, let them fight it. The more in the hand, the better. You are still on half of the pot. Playing into 3 or 4 way betting race is ideal.
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HORSEPOKER
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