Championship Omaha

by Tom McEvoy; T.J. Cloutier

• ISBN13: 9781580421546
• ISBN10: 1580421547
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-05-03
• Publisher: Cardoza

Summary

Omaha poker is fast becoming the game of choice for action players and a prestigious event at the World Series of Poker. Clearly-written strategies and powerful advice from Cloutier and McEvoy-who have won four World Series of Poker titles in Omaha tournaments-show players the rules of play, best starting hands, strategies for the flop, turn, and river, how to read the board for both high and low, dangerous draws, how to win at low-limit and high-stakes games, how to play against loose and tight opponents, and the differing strategies for re-buy and freeze-out tournaments. Players learn the best starting hands, when slowplaying a big hand is dangerous, what danglers are and why winners don't play them, why pot-limit Omaha is the only poker game where you sometimes fold the nuts on the flop and are correct in doing so, and overall, how to win a lot of money at the game!

Author Biography

The 1983 World Champion of Poker, Tom McEvoy has won four World Series titles and is the author of Tournament Poker, "one of the most important poker books of all time" according to Gamblers Book Club in Las Vegas. McEvoy also is the co-author of the "Championship Series:" Championship No-Limit & Pot-Limit Hold'em, Championship Stud, Championship Tournament Poker and Championship Hold'em.

The 1998 Player of the Year, T.J. Cloutier has won four World Series of Poker titles. He is the only player ever to have won bracelets in each of the three types of Omaha games: Omaha high-low, limit high Omaha, and pot-limit Omaha. A former football star in the Canadian league, T.J. turned to playing professional poker in the '80s as a road gambler and has become one of the most celebrated tournament players in the world. He is the co-author of Championship Tournament Poker, Championship No-Limit and Pot-Limit Hold'em and Championship Hold'em.

Table of Contents

Foreword	15	(4)
Introduction	19	(4)
A Tribute to Benny	23	(4)
General Principles for Winning at Omaha	27	(28)
Introduction	29	(1)
The Best Draw with Backup	29	(2)
The Danger of the Dangler	31	(1)
The Dual Nature of Omaha High-Low	32	(1)
Strong Hands in Omaha High-Low	33	(1)
Strong Hands in Omaha High	34	(1)
Knowing Your Opponents	35	(5)
When Your Opponents Have Aces
Playing Against Tight Players
Getting into the Flow	40	(1)
Raising in Pot-Limit Omaha	41	(1)
Raising in Omaha High-Low	42	(1)
Look for the Right Situation	43	(2)
Straights in Limit Omaha High and Pot-Limit Omaha	45	(1)
The Role of Position	45	(1)
Reading the Board	46	(1)
Top and Bottom Pair	47	(1)
Decision Hands	48	(2)
Going on Tilt	50	(2)
The Importance of Attitude	52	(1)
Conclusion	52	(3)
Omaha High-Low	55	(46)
Introduction	57	(1)
Starting Hands	58	(14)
The Low Starting Hands
The High Rundown Hands
The Big-Pair Hands
Aces and Spaces
Trap Hands
Playing on the Flop	72	(16)
Reading the Board
When You Flop the Nut Straight
When the Flop Comes with Wheel Cards
Playing a High Hand
Playing a Drawing Hand in a Side Game
Saving Bets
Getting a Free Card
Playing a Drawing Hand in a Tournament
Playing on the Turn	88	(6)
Bluffing
Less Than the Nuts
The Theory and the Reality
Fancy Moves
Getting Trapped with the Second-Nut Low
Playing at the River	94	(7)
Determining the Best High Hand
Betting the Nut Low
A Move on the River in Tournament Play
Knowing Your Opponents
Pot-Limit Omaha	101	(50)
Introduction	103	(13)
The Betting Structure
Implied Odds
Playing Sets
Knowing Your Opponents
The Size of Your Bets
Raising in Tournaments
Insurance in Pot-Limit Omaha
Starting Hands	116	(11)
Big Pairs with Connectors
Rundown Hands
The Dangerous Dangler
The Small Rundowns
Two Aces
Two Kings
Trap Hands
Position and Hand Selection
Raising Before the Flop
Playing on the Flop	127	(15)
Top Two Pair
Flopping a Set
Straights and Flushes
Bottom Two Pair
Bluffing
When There's Action on the Flop
The Wraparound Hands
Slow-Playing
Playing on the Turn	142	(3)
When You Backdoor a Hand
Playing at the River	145	(6)
When You Miss at the River
Check-Raising on the End
Folding on the End
A Bad Beat at the River
Limit Omaha High	151	(34)
Introduction	153	(5)
General Strategy
Backdoor Hands
The Value of Playing Aggressively
Starting Hands	158	(7)
Big Pairs with Connectors
The Big Rundowns
The Middle Rundowns
The Small Rundowns
Middle Pairs with Connectors
Middle Connectors
Raising Hands
Playing on the Flop	165	(5)
Giving Free Cards
Decision Hands
Playing on the Turn	170	(5)
When a Scare Card Comes on the Turn
Playing at the River	175	(3)
A Steal Situation
Tournament Play	178	(7)
Playing with a Big Stack
Playing a Dangler
The 1992 Championship Game
Being Aggressive
Playing against Super Aggressive Opponents
Omaha Practice Hands	185	(44)
A-A-2-3	187	(2)
A-2-3-4	189	(2)
K-K-Q-J	191	(3)
9-9-8-7	194	(2)
A-J-A-10	196	(3)
A-A-5-6	199	(5)
A-10-9-6	204	(2)
3-4-5-5	206	(2)
A-3-4-5	208	(1)
5-6-6-7	209	(2)
10-9-8-7	211	(2)
Q-J-10-9	213	(1)
Q-J-10-10	214	(3)
5-6-7-8	217	(1)
K-K-2-3	218	(2)
K-Q-2-3	220	(1)
Q-Q-J-9	220	(1)
Q-J-10-8	221	(2)
2-3-4-5	223	(1)
A-J-9-7	224	(1)
K-J-9-8	225	(1)
A-K-5-6	226	(3)
The Tournament Trail: Tales and Tactics	229	(14)
Poker Is a Game of Mistakes	231	(1)
Small Rebuy Tournaments	232	(1)
Omaha High-Low Strategy	233	(2)
Bad Beats	235	(1)
Playing Against Limit Hold'em Players	235	(1)
The Morning Glories	236	(1)
Intuition in Tournaments	237	(1)
Playing Side Action During Tournaments	238	(1)
Establishing a Track Record	239	(1)
The 1998 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship Event	240	(3)
Tales From T. J.	243	(22)
Along the Road to the World Series of Poker	245	(20)
Tippy Toe Joe Shotsman
A Killer of a Poker Game
Bill Smith
Shreveport
The Poker Games in Dallas
Bobby Chapman
Henry Bowen
Behavior in Poker Games, Then and Now
The Owl from Oklahoma
Sailor Roberts
The Cowboy & The Queen
Benny Binion
Doyle Takes a Dinner Break
Acknowledgements	265	(2)
Glossary of Poker Terms	267