Omaha – the game of draws and redraws

Omaha is a game built on draws and any good Pot Limit Omaha player recognizes it as a game of the nuts. You start with 4 cards or 6 different two card hands. When involved in a multi opponent pot, usually the winner is holding the nuts. Having 6 possible hands each, allows for the nuts to be that much more possible. Omaha is a game built on redraws.

Redraws mean that you not only have a great hand or made hand but also a chance to improve on that hand. Redraws are so key to the game that it can be mathematically acceptable to fold what are the nuts on the flop. Let’s say you are holding As Ks 8h 7h and the flop is 6d 5d 4c. You have flopped the nut straight but your hand cannot improve. Any opponent who stays either has the same hand or a draw to a better hand. So if you have two opponents left in against you then you might be facing an opponent with trips and another with the flush draw you are now a 2-1 dog. If the players check to you then that’s fine but if one player bets out and the other raises, in pot limit, you could be looking at a large portion of your stack.

Now if another player is in and has the same straight you do but their hand is 10s 9s 8d 7h then they can beat you if a 7 or 8 falls as well. Also with this player in, now you are making a big call when only getting half the pot.

You need to know the players that you are in against and what type of player they are. Are they the type that recognizes that flop and knows its dangers and would only stay with a hand that can draw to a better hand? If you are sure that they are, then it’s better to fold the nuts now while you have little invested in the hand. Omaha has always been a game of draws and all you need to do is watch a few hands to realize that the best hand on the flop is not always the best hand at the river. It’s usually better to have a hand that has redraws to a better nut hand.