Best Omaha starting hands

Omaha Starting hands are evaluated based on their strength, with the AAKK double-suited configuration often recognized as the strongest in Pot Limit Omaha Omaha (PLO) games. Understanding the value of starting hands in Omaha can significantly enhance your decision-making when choosing which hands to enter the pot with.

Table of Contents

The best starting hands in Omaha are:

• Every hand featured in this selection is double-suited.

Tune in to 888poker Ambassador Kara Scott as she explains the foundational aspects of PLO:

Key Considerations for Hand Selection – Four Card Combinations

The foremost principle for selecting hands in PLO is that all four cards must synergize to form a strong hand.

Isn't it the case, though, that in Omaha, we can only utilize two of our four cards hole cards to create a hand? So why is it emphasized that all four cards need to harmonize?

Let’s examine the following hand -

• AsAdJsTd

This is actually one of the top starting hands in Omaha, second to As , which is usually viewed as the strongest.AdKsKdFirst, observe that this hand consists of exactly two cards from each suit. This characteristic is known as a double-suited hand in Omaha. Hands that are double-suited consistently rank higher.

At first glance, one might think that As Js Ts is a superior hand due to having three spades instead of two. However, this actually makes As Js Ts significantly weaker because it limits our available outs. It's crucial to remember that we’re restricted to using only two of our hole cards to form a hand. A typical error by beginners in Omaha is assuming a flop of 6s 7s is favorable. In reality, it only gives us a flush draw since we still can use only two of our cards from the hand.

Let’s compare our AsAdJsTd to a similar holding AsAdJsTs .

Possessing that third spade diminishes our odds since fewer spades remain in the deck for us to draw, which ultimately lowers our chances of completing the flush.AdFrom the initial principle (the cooperation of all four cards), we should already consider several unimpressive scenarios.AdJsTd ?

The idea is that when we hold the AsAdOne term frequently mentioned among PLO players is dangler . This refers to a low card that does not contribute positively to the overall hand .2d when having the hole-cards AsAdJsTs and thinking that we have a flush because there are 5 spades out there.

all function competently together. The two spades can potentially create a flush, and the Ace, King, and Jack can effectively help us achieve flops

and straight draws. However, that 6c serves no purpose whatsoever. It adds no value to our hand.

Danglers and Blockers

Hands lacking strong interconnectivity, such as those with a dangler, should often be folded preflop holdings.

before the flop. An exception may occur if we find ourselves in a late position with a reasonable chance to steal the blinds.

Imagine we are dealt -

• AsKsJd 6c

Can you spot the dangler here?

The AsKsJdEven though that 6c turns a potentially strong combination into something mediocre, it could be worse. Based on our previous analysis, can you think of a way to adjust one of the suits in the mentioned hand and render it even weaker? straights Once more, this might initially appear to be an enhancement, but it really isn’t. It’s nearly the same hand, but our chances of making a flush postflop have decreased, which qualifies it as a weaker preflop hand. The 6s "blocks" our flush-drawing opportunities. This can be termed as an unfavorable blocker .

Let’s look at another example of how blockers Occasionally, we might achieve two-pair or a full house, but those hands will still be exceedingly feeble and highly improbable for winning in a showdown.QcKsKc

Recognizing that many players who engage with Omaha began their poker journey with No-Limit Hold'em, it’s wise to highlight some of the

Let’s change one card: QsQc Qh Kc

crucial distinctions between the two formats. Trips AAxx, and KKxx are not guaranteed winners . Coming from a Hold’em perspective, one may be accustomed to going all-in with KK and AA preflop without a second thought. In Omaha, this could result in significant missteps (provided we are playing pot-limit or no-limit variants).

It's essential to understand that AAxx and KKxx are much more prevalent in Omaha since players receive four cards instead of just two. This reality signifies that going all-in with KKxx often carries greater risks and that AAxx isn’t always unassailable.2h 2c 2d

Quads. Ironic, huh?

Differences to Hold’em

While hands like 22 may be playable, and we might be reasonably satisfied if we hit our set, it's generally prudent to only push all-in with effective stacks of 100bb when we hold a top set. This strategy indicates that hands like 88xx and higher are preferable for set mining than something like 22xx, which can never yield a top set. This principle also extends to constructing dominated flushes. Since every player has access to four cards, achieving significant hands is considerably more common. For instance, the second-best flush would be a valued hand in Hold’em, but in Omaha, encountering low odds of winning means we should avoid committing chips postflop whenever feasible. This kind of strategic thinking should influence our hand selection preflop. .

The hand 3s may initially seem to be an impressive hand due to its double-suited nature. However, it can bring about several complications postflop since it could result in a dominated flush.

Another crucial type of hand to consider in Omaha is referred to as Rundowns .

Something like, AsAc 9d 4hRundowns are essentially akin to suited connectors in Hold’em. They might not boast as much raw power as high card holdings, but they offer substantial potential and an element of surprise.