Limit Double Board Omaha High: Playable Hands

Limit Double Board Omaha High offers a lively change of pace for mixed games that are often dominated by draw and stud variants. Inexperienced mixed players are typically comfortable with it, and with two boards in play, those looking for reasons to play hands and continue on to showdown will typically find them.
As many pots are contested multi-way, the most profitable starting holdings are those containing elements of nutted potential, the ability to make unbeatable hands. These would primarily be the big pairs, ace-high flush draws, and medium-to-high rundowns.
The strongest of these elements are the two largest pairs, aces and kings, and when dealt one of these the remainder of the hand often doesn’t matter. A set (or better) will be flopped on at least one board approximately 24% of the time; 38% when going to the river. And given that a set is often both the best hand and best draw, it performs well against a large field. With good aces and kings we should simply look to get the most money in the middle that we can, and let others figure out if they wish to partake or not.
Ace high flush draws are next up in the hierarchy, however, the rest of the hand has to be at least serviceable, especially if the price to enter the pot is or expected to be multiple bets. Any accompanying Broadway card, medium pair, and/or some straight potential is usually sufficient.
While rundowns form the basis of many strong hands, they do require a greater level of scrutiny. The main reason for this is that it’s relatively common for another player to be sharing a straight with you, and in those circumstances having re-draw outs to a flush or a possible higher straight is imperative. This will help prevent you from getting quartered, and in some cases these extra outs might even gain you the entire pot.
Generally speaking, rundowns should be suited at least once and preferably don’t have any gaps near the top. Here’s some uncomplicated guidance; if you are playing in a loose game and your hand doesn’t contain either a big pair or a suited ace, your hand needs to be quite attractive in order to play. Specifically, we are talking about hands such as K♥ Q♠ 10♥ 9♦, Q♣ J♦ 10♣ 8♥, and 9♠ 8♦ 7♠ 5♦. The lower the cards, the more coordinated and prettier your holding needs to be.
Overall, the game plan is to play those holdings that can make the biggest hands, flop the nuts or a draw to it on one board, and have some means, possibly even just a longshot, to get lucky on the other. Winning halves of decent-sized pots will sustain your stack until the big scoop arrives.
Sometimes you will flop gin on both boards and lead wire to wire, but it’s usually more profitable and satisfying to take it all from an unsuspecting opponent at the very end. Big pairs are highly valued as they often provide the easiest route to scooping with a lucky run out. For example, you might have a full house up top and also win the bottom with kings-up when the board pairs on the river. e.g. 10♣ 9♣ 2♥ 3♦ 2♠.
Mediocre double-suited hands such as Q♠ 10♠ 7♥ 5♥ tend to be the hand type most overrated by the average player. This and similar holdings are an easy fold from early position, and we typically don’t want to be calling raises with them in multi-way pots. While they will frequently flop decently well on many boards, most of the made hands and draws will be second-best, and can’t take any heat.
Even though we won’t connect with as many boards, it’s probably better to hold a hand like A♠ 10♠ 4♣ 3♦ in a multi-way pot. It can make the nut flush, and also has the ability to make trips or some low straights that are less likely to be shared with another player.
Two pair hands of the 9♦ 9♠ 4♥ 4♠ ilk also aren’t worth very much. While you will flop a set around 42% of the time, it’s often necessary to dance in between the raindrops dodging over half the deck to end up winning with it. And that’s on just one board; it’s very hard to scoop with these holdings.
In tight aggressive games primary focus should be placed on high pairs and big cards, looking to isolate a single opponent whenever possible. Your average pair of aces is a clear favorite over anything else, and has approximately 70% equity versus a random pair of kings.
Heads-up, the most relevant factor in all split pot games is how likely one holding is to scoop another. And when running out two complete boards, the player having the 70% edge is around five times more likely to win both which is an immense advantage.
If you hold a good pair of kings, run into aces, and get scooped chances are good that you didn’t do anything wrong. That said, one has to have a healthy fear of running into aces, and kings should most often be mucked when the pot has been three-bet in front of you. And a weak pair of kings (e.g. K♦ K♠ 8♥ 5♣) can simply be open-folded preflop with many players left to act.
There aren’t many holdings that should be played in the face of a three-bet before your turn. A less than spectacular pair of aces can be a precarious holding since your hand is quite terrible the times the other two are out, and the re-raiser often has at least one. Premium drawing hands are what we typically need to fade this action, meaning double suited-Broadways or near flawless rundowns.
A few years ago in a World Series of Poker cash game, a posted kill opened for a raise, I three-bet a mediocre pair of aces, and a loose aggressive gentleman put in a cold four-bet. Everyone called, and the dealer spread out a couple of dream flops for my holding:
Top Board: 2♣ 2♠ 6♥
Bottom Board: 2♥ 2♦ 6♠
No one contested the flop bet which was a little surprising as any decent pair and/or handful of backdoor possibilities would usually call in such a bloated pot. My opponent indicated he had something like A-Q-J-10 double-suited, certainly a playable hand, but one that could have simply flatted the three-bet. Premium Omaha hands don’t mind others trailing in, and also avoid situations (albeit rare) where one is putting in four pre-flop bets and then folding the flop.
In retrospect, it would have been somewhat fun if he had instead made a creative play with a speculative 8♣ 7♦ 6♣ 6♦, and thus had the one combination of sixes that would have beat me on both boards. That would have been quite a wake-up call kick in the teeth, one that I often need, and probably would have juiced up the table.
This is an exaggeration of course and I was quite happy to drag the pot, however, taking bad beats well is an important poker skill. Gambling is never to be discouraged, and a solid table lineup tends to not disparage opponents when their long-shots come in. And if losing with humor and grace is a particular strength of your game, fun players will be more apt to specifically give you the action you desire. ♠

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].