The point count system for evaluating four-card Omaha hands which I introduced in 1988 has required surprizingly few modifications over the years. However some recent studies have indicated that high and medium pairs (in four-card starting hands) should receive slightly higher point values than previously given. Interestingly enough, the simplest way to make this modification is to apply the usual high card bonus to pairs also. Thus, this latest update can be implemented simply by taking out the word “don’t” in the phrase “HIGH CARD BONUS:(don’t give this extra bonus to paired cards)”, so that it reads “…(give this extra bonus…” on page 20. The result is that the high pairs, aces through tens, are each given the extra point (aces are now revalued at 10 instead of 9), and medium pairs, nines through sevens, are each given an extra half point (nines are now revalued at 7 instead of 6.5). more

You enter a casino, walk up to the poker desk, and one of two things happen. Either you are blessed with an immediate choice of available seats in two or more games, or, more frequently, there is only one seat available to you – now or after waiting awhile. In the second situation you usually take the available seat, even if you do not particularly like the game, rather than sitting around until your name is called for a “better” seat. So now that you find yourself playing at some table of which your first impressions were at least somewhat negative, what is your game plan? more

What is the optimum strategy regarding what you should have to call with before the flop in four-card Omaha? The best answer is “it all depends”. It really does not depend on the best theoretical answer to this question, ie. whatever your favorite Omaha authority recommends. “Book advice”, which may well be quite correct for general situations, is not always optimal for specific situations. Where you draw the line should depend much more on “relativity”, that is, relative to what the rest of the players at your table are calling with. more

At high four card Omaha, raising before the flop strategy is much more complicated than at holdem. There are a number of good hand situations where it is better not to raise. And there are a number of medium good hand situations where raising before the flop is highly recommended. Generally, raising before the flop tends to tighten up initial calling and loosen up the rest of the game. more

I just spent several interesting hours playing Omaha and hold’em poker in a friend’s basement. But there were no other human players in the room. I was playing with the two prototype models of my new poker slot machines, which are called Cappelletti’s Omaha Poker Challenge and the Holdem Poker Challenge. So here is a preview of coming distractions. These machines evolved from the “Omaha Solitaire” game described in my Sept. 8, 1989, Card Player article. Both machines function similarly and essentially allow the player to compete against five random computer “opponents”; the Omaha machine deals four card hands, and the hold’em machine deals two card hands. more

Most poker players think they prefer active games, that is, looser (as opposed to tighter), with a lot of betting and bigger pots. Whereas these active games are certainly more interesting (fun?) and have greater potential for big wins, the more dull passive games generally afford a professional high Omaha player a greater percentage of winning sessions, and, if you will forgive the expression, provide greater job security.As used here, “passive” game does not refer to an ultra tight game where only one or two players and the blinds see the flop. You simply should not play in such a game. A passive game may seem somewhat tight because, since there is less betting and raising, the pots are smaller. But if there is a lot of loose calling, then the passive game is one of the most favorable of all poker games! more