Limit Double Board Omaha High: Scoop Equity

One of my favorite games to add to a mixed rotation is Limit Double Board Omaha High as it’s a nice change of pace from the Draw and Stud variants that typically dominate. Another positive is that the rules are quite simple and easy to explain to potential drop-in players.

Two boards are dealt and the winner of each receives half of the pot. The action is frequently quite lively, as players are often enticed to enter the fray and contest the pot to the end.

Starting hand selection is extremely important; with a limit format and two boards to contend with, any deficiencies in preflop strategy will be quickly exposed. A really simple way to express the situation is that the stronger Omaha hands get stronger, while the weaker holdings get weaker. Hands that realize their equity well such as big pairs and big cards suited up dramatically increase in value, particularly in short-handed pots.

In terms of “hot/cold” equities, a matchup between “bad” aces (e.g. A A 7 2) and a premium run down holding of 9 8 7 6 is essentially a 50-50 coinflip. In Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) the 9 8 7 6 is the superior holding with medium or deep stacks as it can put a lot of pressure on the dry aces when on a draw. In Limit Omaha, the premium wrap is denied the ability to make big bets on the come, and thus A A 7 2 probably holds the overall playability advantage.

In Limit Double Board Omaha, however, a pair of aces becomes even stronger. The 9 8 7 6 will often have to showdown the winner on both sides as the holder of aces realizes it’s hard to be scooped on both boards. There are not many runout of boards that the aces will feel compelled to fold, and will thus win the battle of realizing equity.

A better version of aces (e.g. A A 10 8) is an approximate 59% equity favorite versus 9 8 7 6 and with more potential draws working in addition to its big pair, will be able to profitably see a showdown a large majority of the time.

It’s also crucial to understand that being a 59% equity favorite in a heads-up pot is a very big advantage in Limit Double Board. Assuming both hands always go to showdown, A A 10 8 will win both boards approximately 35% of the time, while the premium wrap will only scoop around 17% of the run outs.

Not much money is made when chopping, and since the aces holding is more than twice as likely to scoop, it means that A A 10 8 is in reality closer to a 2 to 1 or 66% favorite. In this particular matchup when someone scoops, around 66% of the time it will be the strong aces hand, which can be coined as “scoop equity.” The boards are not independent so in reality the “scoop equity” would be slightly less than this; however, this very important principle still applies.

The following chart calculates approximate “scoop equities” for various equities in a heads-up pot:

Calculating “scoop equities” is but one part of the equation since equity and expected value are not one and the same. Equity represents the probability of winning assuming both hands go to showdown. Expected value (EV) is the amount we expect to win incorporating factors such as equity realization, position, implied/reverse odds, and so forth.

Calculating expected value requires precise assumptions of our opponent’s play and the assistance of advanced software, however, we can safely make assumptions regarding factors that will generally increase our EV, and those that would tend to decrease it.

We’ve already emphasized the importance of equity realization. In Double Board hands with big pairs, big cards, and suits will more often realize their equity than holdings without these features. And when holding big pairs that are often an underdog to be scooped, we can more often profitably barrel flops and turns and thus effectively deny our opponent’s rightful share of equity.

As in all poker games position is very important both in terms of realizing more of our equity, and winning more money when we make a hand. Then of course the ability to make nut hands and avoiding reverse implied odds holdings are important in increasing your expected value.

In actual game play, a hand with a pair of aces will not scoop showdowns as often as “hot/cold” equities would suggest, but this is simply due to the times villain folds on either the flop and turn. However, getting your opponent to fold is beneficial in any form of Omaha as they are almost certainly relinquishing some decent amount of equity.

Suppose the action folds to us in the cutoff and we look down at the A K 9 7. This hand is not a powerhouse, but is an easy open-raise with an A-K combination, a nut suit, and some straight potential. It folds around to the big blind who defends with 8 8 6 5. Is this a good defend?

In terms of realizing its equity, the 8 8 6 5 has much working against it in that only holds a medium pair, has no big cards, lacks flush potential, and is out of position. It can flop a set and has straight potential, however, an unimproved pair of eights is certainly too weak to be the main reason in going to showdown. In this specific case 8 8 6 5 has around 46% equity, and while that appears to be a relatively fair fight, the A K 9 7 is still around 1.5 times more likely to scoop.

And having 46% equity is probably an above average result; against a cutoff opening range where the top 30% of holdings are played, the 8 8 6 5 only has around 40% equity. When considering all factors, defending such holdings is probably a losing proposition.

In order to make any money on the hand one must scoop (or get your opponent to fold), and the odds of this occurring are similar to those of a mediocre baseball team sweeping a superior one in a double-header on the road. Playing a holding with limited potential is tough, and being out of position is akin to an away game.

Many players are lured in by the attractive immediate 3-to-1 pot odds. This mindset fails to recognize the issue of equity realization and the steepness of the uphill climb when your opponent is so much more likely to scoop. While most pots are played out multi-way, some aren’t, and an understanding of this fundamental concept is important to your overall success. ♠

Kevin Haney is a former actuary but left the corporate job to focus on his passions for poker and fitness. The certified personal trainer owned a gym in New Jersey, but has since moved to Las Vegas. He started playing the game back in 2003, and particularly enjoys taking new players interested in mixed games under his wing and quickly making them proficient in all variants. Learn more or just say hello with an email to [email protected].