Thoughts on Omaha Eight-or-Better - Part III<br>By Mark Tenner and Lou Krieger

Authors' note: This column is based on material that will appear in slightly different form in our upcoming book on Omaha eight-or-better, to be published this fall.

Since many people tend to "play to form" in Omaha eight-or-better, it is easier to read your opponents in this game than in most others. Good Omaha eight-or-better players are skilled at changing up their play to avoid responding to similar situations as though they were playing on automatic pilot.

Because hand reading is easier, you'll have to take steps to disguise your strength of hand, and one way to do this is to consciously change gears from time to time. This works best, of course, against opponents who are aware of what you are doing, and as a general rule of thumb, the higher the betting limits, the more sophisticated you can expect your opponents to be. If your adversaries pay attention to their own cards only, or are otherwise brain dead at the table, you've really no need to change gears, and you'll do quite well by sticking to the style that works best for your particular game.

One aspect of gear-changing often occurs just because you're winning or losing. The more you are winning, the more aggressive your play can become, while the more you are losing, the tighter you should play.

Many poker players do the opposite, particularly when losing. Because they want to avoid recording a losing session in their notebook, they play far too loosely in what's usually an ill-fated attempt to get even. Players often change gears without knowing it, but when that happens, they're generally loosening up, not playing tighter. Although changing gears is a good technique to employ, you need to do it consciously and with good reason, and not just float into some other gear in a blissfully soporific state.

Position is always important in poker. Not only is the obvious advantage of acting last important, because it allows one to assess the real or purported strength of opponents' hands, but position in relation to the playing style of your opponents is also important. Much about positioning is idealized, of course, because you can't just come to the table and revise the seating arrangements just to suit yourself. Nevertheless, you will have the option to change seats as players leave the game, and here are some thoughts to bear in mind when considering a move:

• In Omaha, you want tight, predictable players on your right, because you can easily deduce their hands and acting after them is advantageous. In addition, tight players will allow you to see more flops inexpensively when you're in the blind, which is a decided advantage. When your blind is raised by a tight player immediately to your right, you can assume with some degree of certainty that he is holding a big hand, which allows you to alter your own play accordingly.

• In Omaha, unlike hold'em, you want loose, aggressive players on your left. If you play the right starting hands, you'll have a chance to see the action created by your more aggressive, loose opponents, and can then decide whether to call or reraise. This enables you to create much larger pots when you have the best of it. But having aggressive players on your left also means that you'll have to be playing high-quality starting hands to avoid the dilemma of finding yourself trapped for two bets with a marginal hand. When you play the right hands, you'll seldom be at a loss about what to do on subsequent betting rounds, and you'll usually know when you have the best of it, too. When you do have the dominant hand, you'll be able to punish your overly aggressive opponents with two or three bets instead of one.

According to poker authority Mike Caro, one should " … value bet more when winning than losing." Value betting is betting a hand that isn't the nuts but you think it is likely to be the best hand. When you think about this, it makes good sense. Most of us don't play as well when we're losing, and that's usually characterized by playing more marginal hands, and making more marginal bets and raises in an attempt to win – or to at least get even.

Tightening up on starting standards and pulling in the reins on value bets and other creative plays is a good idea when losing, since there's a tendency to make these plays with weaker-than-usual hands under those circumstances. When you get down to cases, there's not much you can say about a valueless value bet. It generally costs money, and when you're already stuck, there's no point in throwing good money after bad. This is the time for lots of traction and not much speed. When playing your "A" game, which you're much more likely to do when you're ahead, you can value bet more because your judgment is likely to be sharper and your value bets will be just what they are named.

Many players often miss an opportunity to value bet on the river with hands that would be worth a call if an opponent came out betting. Suppose the board is K-Q-9-3-2 with no flush possible. You're holding three pair: K-Q-9 along with an irrelevant fourth card. You can bet. If you're raised, just throw your hand away. But it won't cost any more than checking and calling, and when your hand is good, you're likely to be called by anyone who's holding two lower pair, and often by a player holding A-A if you're heads up.

And you needn't worry about straight draws, either. The play of the hand ought to have told you if one of your opponents flopped or turned a straight. If your analysis of the betting patterns suggests the possibilities of a straight, save this play for some other time when your chances look a bit better.

All of this will allow you to accomplish your objectives: to control the game, to become the master of your universe, to control your environment. You'll be the best Omaha player you know, and you'll do that through discipline, awareness, and good decision-making.

My newest book, Internet Poker: How to Play and Beat Online Poker Games, is available through Card Player and at www.ConJelCo.com, and all of my books can be found at major bookstores and online at www.Amazon.com.