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Shifting from No Limit to Pot Limit Omaha
Most No Limit players think of Pot Limit Omaha as simply a Texas Holdem game with four starting hands. However, there are more characteristics than differentiate the two variants, and the more you know about it, the less trouble you will encounter and the more quickly you will learn to adapt.
One of the areas where Pot Limit Omaha and No Limit differ are the odds concerning the winning hands. In No Limit, getting a high set will, in most games, be enough to win you the pot, allowing you to slow play. In Pot Limit, the odds concerning the winning hands are much closer, and the percentage, or likelihood of each hand getting the pot are much closer.
For this reason, you have to be very selective about the hands that you will play. All four cards must be somehow connected, suited or double suited, in order to have any chance of winning. One of the most common mistakes that people coming in from No Limit or Limit Holdem make is assuming that the hands that they use there to win the pot will also work in Omaha.
It does not. This something that is often pointed out in a lot of Poker strategy guides online, but a lot of players still fail to take it into account. You must avoid the temptation of using the winning hands from another Poker game in another, as the differences in strategy and game setup will ensure that it does not work. There is no shortcut you can take; if you want to be good at Pot Limit Omaha, learn the best hands.
Another key difference between the two Poker variants is that in No Limit, having a high pair in pre flop can win you the pot instantly. In Pot Limit Omaha, it is all about making the draws. And when you make the draw, you have to always go for the highest hand that you can obtain. Settling for a second best hand is never good in Poker, but in Pot Limit Omaha it can totally eradicate your bank roll.
These are just some of the things that separate Pot Limit Omaha from Texas Holdem. There are others factors to consider, but by learning to make the proper adjustments concerning these particular aspects, you will make the transition a lot easier for yourself.
By adhering to this principles during every hand that you play, you will become proficient and win more Omaha cash games.