Point, Counterpoint

Fellow columnist Jim Brier suggested a topic that he would like me to address: why Omaha eight-or-better is my favorite public cardroom poker game. I agreed to do so, but knowing that he prefers Texas hold'em, I invited him to do a point, counterpoint column with me. Presented here are my reasons for preferring Omaha eight-or-better and Jim Brier's reasons for preferring Texas hold'em.

Omaha Eight-or-Better: Linda Johnson's

Favorite Poker Game

1. Physical requirements: You do not have to be able to see from one end of the table to the other, as you need to see only your cards and the flop. Along these lines, there is not a lot of memorization required in Omaha eight-or-better like there is in stud-type games, in which you must remember the cards that have been exposed. I find Omaha eight-or-better to be more relaxing to play than other games, which means I can play longer hours. (Of course, this is true with other flop games, also.)

2. Playable hands: With four cards dealt, there are six possible two-card combinations; therefore, players usually opt to play many more starting hands in Omaha eight-or-better than in hold'em. Good players can get away with playing lots of hands because of the size of the pots, making for a much more exciting and enjoyable game.

3. Multiway pots: Omaha eight-or-better pots are often multiway, rather than heads up or threehanded. This makes for a good return on your money when you win a pot.

4. Players' skill: Bad and mediocre players often "draw dead" in Omaha eight-or-better. It is hard to resist drawing to second-nut flushes and second-nut lows. Action players are attracted to Omaha eight-or-better because of all the hands they can play and the size of the pots. It is difficult to learn to play Omaha eight-or-better well; I particularly enjoy playing Omaha eight-or-better with hold'em players, because they tend to overvalue overpairs and two-pair hands, and don't realize the importance of drawing only to the nuts. Obviously, this benefits the better players.

5. Escaping with half the pot: You may start out drawing for either high or low and end up missing your draw, but still win half the pot. For instance, if your hand is A-2-J-Q and the flop is 10-9-4, you might miss the straight but catch two running low cards to win the low half of the pot. Similarly, the flop could come 9-8-4 and your nut-low draw could possibly result in your winning the high half if you miss the low but make a straight or backdoor flush.

Texas Hold'em: Jim Brier's Favorite Game

1. Game pace: For a serious poker player, time is money. In hold'em, players will see 30 to 40 hands per hour, more than in most other games. Furthermore, since a typical hold'em game generates more pots per hour, more rake can be collected. This is good for the cardroom and also means that the individual rake for a given pot can be less than for other games that have a slower pace. In a game in which a collection is taken, players get "more bang for their buck" because of the increased number of hands they get to play.

2. Game selection: Most major cardrooms have numerous hold'em games spread at different limits. This means that an aspiring player has a ladder he can climb and a safety net he can fall back into. Also, it ensures that a large player base can be accommodated. Other poker forms frequently have only one or two limits being spread.

3. Importance of starting hands: In hold'em, it is critically important to play your first two cards correctly. The overlay of a good starting hand vs. an average starting hand can be deceptively large. This especially is true with premium pocket pairs like aces and kings, which often hold up without improvement. In other poker forms, especially other flop games, this overlay is not nearly as large, and a good starting hand is easy to overtake. In hold'em, having a "dominating hand" and avoiding situations in which their hand is "dominated" is one of the big reasons good players win money from bad players. This may not be as true in other games.

4. Game complexity: While the mechanics of the game are simple, I believe the strategies that a successful hold'em player must utilize are more complex than in other games. In hold'em, having the best hand on the flop does not always mean you should bet. Key concepts like check-raising and slow-playing are critical. In my opinion, there are additional complexities on the turn and the river that are not present in other games.

5. Importance of position: While position is important in all games, understanding position helps the good player a lot more in limit hold'em than in most other limit games. In other flop games, there are so many players and the pots are so big that it will almost always take the best hand to win. Having good position will enable the good player to collect an extra bet or two when he has the best hand, but it usually will not enable him to win a pot that he would not have otherwise won. But in hold'em, many pots are heads up or three-way, and the player with the best position can use it to frequently move his opponent(s) off a better hand by representing a hand that he does not have.

Jim, thanks for presenting your very valid opinions. Although I do enjoy playing all forms of poker, I think I'll choose mainly to play Omaha eight-or-better, in which I can play more hands in multiway pots against action players – unless, of course, Chinese poker is available.

Now, let's play poker!

Author's note: Congratulations to Bicycle Casino Tournament Director Denny Williams and his wife, Shiela, on the recent birth of their first child, Tiffany Ann.