POT LIMIT OMAHA

I wanted to try something new this morning, so I spent some time playing $0.50-$1.00 PL Omaha. I have spent time at the high-low Omaha, and it is quite maddenning. This time it was high hand only. For half a buck, it's worth seeing about 80% of the flops. The best hands are the double inside straights with no pair on board. Whenever there is a pair on board, it's not even worth continuing, even with nut flush, unless the betting is cheap. Almost always a pair on board equals a full house, especially in low limit where everyone and his brother sees the flop.

Pot limit is a fun game because you can see the flop cheap, and if you like it, you can make it very expensive for opponents to draw out on you. A couple of times, I flopped an open-ended straight with no flush draw. I was able to see a moderately priced fourth street, and when I hit the nut straight, there was enough money in the pot to put the other guy to the test. It's especially nice to hold the nut straight with the nut flush draw. I'll push in lots my chips with that scenario any day, even against the obvious set. Make him realize he is beat and decide whether to draw to the full house or save some money and let it go.

I've been playing a couple of hours now and I have won $70 so far. A little poker knowledge goes far in low limit Omaha. There are always nice draws after the flop, so if you know you have the nuts, you can start building a nice pot.