Myths About Omaha Poker

Written by Nigel

Just like any other poker variant out there, there are some myths revolving around Omaha Poker.  If you do not know much about the game, you just might be a victim of one of these myths.

It is complicated
I heard this one about Texas Hold ‘Em too.  It is not true.  In fact, for Omaha Poker, you would find more simplicity.  This is because each hand in Omaha Poker has more ways to connect with a flop.  The idea that most of the time players around the table have nothing is not real.

Omaha starting hands run close together in value
Where does this myth stem from?  The fact that the dominating relationship of an AA over an A7 in Texas Hold ‘Em does not really have that much impact in Omaha.  As a result, people tend to think that starting hands do not really have much difference.  The fact, however, is that they do.  This is a good topic for another post – starting hands – and you will see just how different they can be.

Don’t raise before the flop
This is coming from the previous myth, really.  As one expertly put it “the most common way to create a profitable edge is to exploit the dramatically different pre-flop value of Omaha starting hands. Most Omaha games feature players who play too many garbage hands 789T, 23QJ and even J965. In many games, these mistakes occur before the flop all the time. This is where the money is to be made. Since the opportunities arise almost every hand, this is where you increase your profits hugely in Omaha.”

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Written by Nigel

I bet that this question has been asked countless times in countless different situations.  Yet have you ever found yourself asking this question while at the poker table?  If you haven’t, it could both be a good thing and a bad thing.  You may not have had to ask this question as you always know when to leave the table.  On the other hand, you may not have had to ask this question because you never know when to leave.

Ask different people about their take on this topic and the chances are that you will get all sorts of answers.  One common strategy that many people use is to leave while you are ahead.  It is a good thing actually, very sensible.   No one is 100% tilt proof. If your emotions get the best of you at some point in the night, then you are dead.  So while you are still level headed, get out of there.

Others will tell you to decide based on your streak and your opponents.  If you are playing with obviously weak players, then stay and win more money – that is their rationale.

I do not really have anything against these lines of thinking.  They do make sense, no one can argue with that.  My take on this, though, is that one is always better off playing by the hour and not by the result.  What I mean is simple.  Set a time limit as to how long you will be playing for the night.  Once that is up, get up and leave.  What do you think?

Tips to Win Online (Part 3)

Written by Nigel

So you have detected those tiny tell tale signs that give you necessary information to win against your online opponent.  Here are some more tips that can give you that much appreciated edge.

Play small tournaments in the beginning.  I know, it sounds like the easy way out.  You are not a wimp.  But this really makes sense, you know.  If you are a beginner, test the waters first.  Gain confidence as you win the smaller tournaments and then move your way up.  It is always better to start out small anyway.  Think about it, small things turn up to be big sooner or later.

Don’t get too caught up in too many tournaments.  One advantage of online poker is that you can play multiple games at a single given time.  Of course, the downside to this is that you cannot give all your attention to one game.  You are diverted by many.  So when playing tournaments, if possible play one at a time.  Schedule them as well so that you have time between tournaments.

Don’t make poker your escape.  What do I mean?  Say you and your partner had a fight.  You go online to forget about it.  It might sound like a plan but it does not sound like a good plan to me.  When you play poker you need your focus.  If you have a problem you’d probably lose that focus.  If I were you, I’d play poker because I want to and I can give all my attention to the game, not because I am running away from something.

Tips to Win Online (Part 2)

Written by Nigel

In the last post we talked about learning how to scan and interpret the flop as fast as you can.  The next tip is very much related to that tip but with a much broader scope.

Learn to adjust to the speed of online poker.  In face to face poker, sometimes players their own sweet time before they make a move.  Online, you would rarely see this kind of strategy.  On the average, you can expect about 50 hands per hour with online poker.  Compare this with the 30 hands per hour in the “real” casino.  This is basically due to the programming of online casinos.  If you do not make your move within a specified time, your hand will automatically fold.  You have two options here – make a move without having thought it over well or learn to think fast.  Though in tough situations you may be able to request for additional time (in some online casinos that is), you would be better off adjusting your speed.

Learn to detect and interpret online poker tells.  Though this is a harder thing to do online, it is still possible.  The most basic tell in online poker would be the speed that your opponents make their moves.  Checking too fast most of the time might just mean that your opponent is using the automatic check option – this signifies weakness more often than not.  On the other hand, if a player takes a fair amount of time before making his move, make sure you note his hand in the end.  This will give you information on how he thinks.

Let’s look at the last batch of tips next time.

Biggest Mistakes Tournament Newbies Make

Written by Nigel

Alright, we all make mistakes. We are but human after all. Yet if you are aware of certain mistakes that you just might commit, wouldn’t it be better for you? That way, you can take measures to avoid making those mistakes. These statements could actually apply both in real life and at the poker table. Read on to know which mistakes to avoid when you are a beginner.

Not Understanding When Someone Else is Pot-Committed
So what does this mean? Andrew Glazer says it best: “If you have a hand with which your raise commits you to the pot, you might as well go ahead and move all in with it. If you’re winning, you’ll win more, and if you’re losing, there’s a bigger chance that your opponent will fold.”

Underbetting the Pot
This is pretty simple, if you are trying to win the pot even though your hand isn’t that good (or in other words you have a bad hand) then do it with a bang. Don’t bet cheap – others will just call your bet to find out what you had. That way they will gain information on you. Make it expensive enough so that they won’t gain anything.

Calling with Draws
I have to admit, I did this a lot when I first started playing. Hoping that the next card would complete my hand was just irresistible. However, statistically speaking, the chances of completing, say, a flush draw is very nil. You don’t bet big on such situations. More often than not, you will just lose this way.

Back to the basics - Getting Started

Written by Nigel

We’ve been through quite a lot in these past few months and I thought it would be nice to go back to the basics. There are so many new poker players out there, thanks to the publicity it gets from the different celebrity tours. These people need a solid foundation on poker. For the oldies, it is always a good thing to be reminded of the bare essentials. So how do we get started in a poker game?

The first thing that has to be determined is how much everyone around the table is willing to pay. This is what we call the stakes. Three things to be considered when setting the stakes are:

What is the standard ante going to be?
What is the minimum bet?
What is the maximum bet?

How low or how high the stakes is depends on the minimum and maximum bet, respectively. They are the outer limits and any player can bet any amount within those limits.

Once these figures have been determined by the players around the table, they are ready to move on to the next step which is determining who will get the first hand. This is really variable depending on the players. One way we do it is to have someone deal cards one at a time and the first one to get an Ace gets the first hand. Others wait for the Jack instead of the Ace – it does not really matter how you do it as long as you determine who gets first hand.

Change Gears – Negreanu

Written by Nigel

Definitely one of the hottest and most respected names in poker today, Daniel Negreanu should be an example for us to follow.  That is why when I read an article he published last week, I thought, why not share the idea with others who might not have read his post?  It was all about changing tactics in the middle of a game – when necessary, of course.

He says “Whenever you jump into a game, you should have an idea as to what your plan will be for the day. But you also must be willing to switch gears quickly if the speed of the game changes.”  It makes sense, doesn’t it?  Have a definite idea of what you are going to do in specific circumstances.  However, when circumstances change and your tactics do not apply, have a back up plan that will give you some measure of success.

“The speed of the game is defined by how loose or aggressive your opponents are playing. The more aggressive the game, the faster the speed is. Games where play is very conservative, with few pre-flop raises, are considered slow games.”  Your course of action should be: be more aggressive when the speed of the game is slow.  On the other hand, when the game speed picks up, try to sit back and watch how you play – be more careful.

I’ve always believed that poker is all about the players, sometimes more than the cards.  As Negreanu said in his article: “It’s your job to figure out which player is in what gear. Knowing how someone plays when he’s winning or losing is even more important than the cards themselves.”

Some Common Poker Tells

Written by Nigel

Here are some common poker tells that you would probably encounter during a game.  Though of course, generalizing might not always be a good thing, having an idea of what to expect will be of help.  Still, interpretation is always up to you.

Shaking hands.  One very common poker tell that is exhibited when players make bets.  This normally happens when the poker player sets his chips on the table.  What it means?  Almost always that he is excited because of a very good hand.

Checking out chips.  This would normally happen after the flop.  The player who has connected would take a quick look at his chips.  This might be quite subtle so acute observation skills are needed in order to catch this tell.  On the other hand, if a player merely stares at the flop intensely, it would mean that he is looking for something to make up a good hand.

Hole card peeking.  When the flop comes out and all are of the same suit, players who keep looking at their hole cards would mean that they do not have a suited hand.  They are checking their hold cards to check if one of the cards matches the suit of the flop.

What does rudeness tell you?  Most probably the player has a strong hand and he is trying to goad you into calling him.  On the other hand, an overly polite player may be bluffing with a not so good hand.

Of course, each person has his own tell so do not take all these at face value.

Poker Tells

Written by Nigel

You have probably heard this phrase so many times before.  A tell, in poker, is any habit or behavior – either physical or verbal – of a poker player at the table that gives away information regarding his cards.  Whether you are playing with a beginner or an advanced player, you just might catch a tell or two which can help you play better against that player.  Of course, tells are not sure fire indications. Sometimes, pros even make up tells to confuse their opponents.  Each and ever person is different and there is no one tell that matches everyone.  The idea is to be very observant and see if a person exhibits certain behaviors in certain situations.

One thing you should always pay attention to are the eyes.  The eyes are the windows to one’s soul, or so they say.  You can get a lot of information from the eyes of a poker player.  Of course, again, it is not the case for everyone but you have pretty good chances of reading someone based on his eyes.  More than the eyes, another good indication of a person’s hands is the facial expression as a whole.  Of course, a seasoned player may have perfected his “poker face” but there are always those who cannot help but give away their position with their facial expression.

There are countless other tells that may be specific to a person.  It is up to you as a “person reader” to be able to detect and interpret them.  Again, your success lies in acute observation skills.

A Note For Beginners

Written by Nigel

I was thinking about that other night when I taught Texas Hold Em to some guys.  I think I shared that story with you already.  Anyhow, I was thinking about how beginners can make their share of mistakes if not guided properly.  One major thing I was thinking about is how beginners should wait more than their share at the table.  What do I mean by this?

That night I was playing with all newbies, I noticed that they rarely folded – if they did at all.  Even if they had bad cards, they just went ahead and tried to bluff their way through it.  They won sometimes but they lost as well.  It might have worked for that night but I doubt that it would work if they start to play poker in the long run.

Seasoned poker players would know that there is always a time to fold.  I think this is one of the hardest things to learn in this game.  Deep down inside, we think that folding is the cowardly way out.  The truth is, however, folding is something that we use to win in the long run.  We do not always get good cards –that is for sure.  The only thing that we can do during the times that we get bad cards is to fold and wait for good cards.

This is where patience comes in – the “P” word that is used a lot when it comes to poker.  This is what beginners should learn on the outset.

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