How do you play straights in Omaha?

[Limey777]

I have a tendancy to play cautiously. I respect the rake and I recognize that a high percentage of the time the nut straight in an Omaha hand is a chopped pot. There are a lot of players who will fire out a pot sized bet with 4 parts of an Ace high straight on the board. Unless this is a bluff I would of thought it to be an incredibly dumb play as the only person who calls will chop.
But what about the nut straight on the turn? I recently found myself in a hand where I’m holding A K with 10 J Q on the board. I bet my hand and the player to my left min raises. It was a smart bet on their part as it slowed me down thinking it was a chop. I check the river and they had the donk end of the straight. If I’d of thrown caution to the wind, I would of felt like a complete idiot if we’d of chopped.
What would you do in that position?

[illphillllllll]

i play a lot of omaha ring and these situations come up often. i think the stakes determine how you should bet the pot in most situations as well as how your opponents been playing. the rake is small enough at the lower stakes to bet the hand for good value because your opponents will pay you off enough with inferior straights, trips, or possibly worse sometimes to make it a +EV play even with the rake. at the higher levels with better players i think the best option is to toss a couple small bets after each street to minimize rake on a split and get a little value from a player willing to call off a little money with a semi strong holding.

[spowers454]

I don't go nuts with them but there is no way I would have let them get away with a min raise on the turn and checked the river. Most of my bets are in the 2/3 - 3/4 pot anyways and a str8 in OH is no different. If I have the nuts I am going to raise it enough to make some money if I win it and even with the rake in OH there is normally enough limpers preflop and maybe a few callers on flop to more then cover the rake. If I get reraised then I will just call if I think it is a chop but would never check it down.

[rgchan]

I normally only play Tournaments but If I played Ring it would be small stakes anyway,I know an obvious STR8 when I see one.But I have bet that obvious str8 and been called by a player with Tripps.And sure enough the Board Pairs the river and now I,m suddenly beat by a Boat.I would always make a bet.Disregard the Rake as so often you will get callers with the bottom end of the str8.
Rg

[eberetta1]

Nut str8 on the turn??? I usually minimum raise on the flop and on the turn, because Omaha is tricky. If it can happen, people usually have the cards.
So what I am looking for on the flop, is I hope not to see two cards of the same color, because my nut flush is spilt milk, with two cards left to draw if one of them match the current two card suit. If the matching suit comes in I will check/fold. Now, on the turn, I am hoping there is one of each suit on the board, so I know I cannot be flushed out. The problem comes on the river. On the river, I am looking for any duplicate cards. If there is a duplicate card, check/fold. If there are no duplicate cards,
then and only then do I do the maximum raise. And it is so funny. Many people call you with their k q j t 9 . What is it, were they hoping you did not have the Ace hi str8?

I do not let rake influence my decision. All it takes is one well paying all in to pay for 10 rakes.

[Limey777]

Lets say it’s .05/.10, 5 people see the flop, limped in. If I nut straight the flop I’d throw a .30 feeler bet out there. Not worried about the flush at this point, 3 callers so the pot = 1.40. If the fl draw hits the turn or the board pairs I’m in trouble. If not then I’m firing away with a decent pot sized bet, build a decent pot to make them think about the turn. In an ideal situation I let them somewhat limp to the turn but it’s gonna cost to chase that river. Alas they keep calling anyway ("that’s poker folks")

Now lets say 10 J K A 5 rainbow on the board. Some people try to bluff with 2 pair knowing that only the nut straight will call. Well 3-4 people in the hand, good chance somebody’s got a queen with an A K J 10 so that’s why I think it’s an unprofitable move. More often than not on micro Omaha if you can see it out there, then somebody has it.
The only reason to bet the river would be to bluff. Throwing out a pot sized bet (especially into a big pot) when you have the nuts will buy the table .5 of an FPP for which they are truly grateful but all to often it’s another unprofitable move. I used to throw out a small bet, but that shows weakness and all too often the other player would come over the top with the max re-raise.

I made a bad play by respecting the min re-raise and I should of fired away at it but with a short-stack all in I assumed the min re-raiser also had the nuts. I was wrong.

I seem to have a real problem with the min bets and min re-raises, can’t read their hands at all, leaves me feeling all confused. If I have a continuous min better/min raiser on the table I usually have to sit out / leave especially if said player is to my right.

[watton412]

whatever you do is dont play like a donk and be scared..... if you think you got the best hand then bet like you got the best hand, dont be scared to go all in and bully some one out the pot your hands strength is determined on ya bets and how and when u bet so play wisely and strong

[madjek]

I don't play ring games often, so when you said you would of felt dumb betting big and chopping I didn't quite understand why. Then I listened to everything you wrote, interesting that you have to think about the rake like that in a ring game, where a bet and a chop will lessen the actual amount you win with the bigger rake, I never thought of that playing in a ring game, though I don't play omaha that often either, and chops in holdem aren't really something you expect. Though I do like Omaha hi lo or whatever its called, which obviously can chop a lot. I expect not a lot of players think about the rake and its effect on the pot with a chop.

[Limey777]

whatever you do is dont play like a donk and be scared..... if you think you got the best hand then bet like you got the best hand, dont be scared to go all in and bully some one out the pot your hands strength is determined on ya bets and how and when u bet so play wisely and strong

Have to disagree, if we were talking hold'em I'd be right with you on this strategy but just because you have the best hand on the flop doesn't mean you're odds on favorite to win the hand, best to exercise a little caution.

Though I do like Omaha hi lo or whatever its called, which obviously can chop a lot. I expect not a lot of players think about the rake and its effect on the pot with a chop.

You're right, I used to love that game and may try it again when the BR is large enough to play at higher stakes. Not so much bothered by the LaG's but when you've got 2-3 maniacs on the table which is quite often on the micros I find the game too frustrating.
Maybe on a "smaller" site the play would be more to my liking, I definitely prefer TaG players on H/L

[LombardiStix]

I agree with some that has already been said. I would also say that as you develop more comfort with the game you'll begin to open your game up to reading your opponents and adjusting it to the strengths of your given hands. This will of course take some time, but you're on the right path with your critical thinking. You recognize the differences in the game and are beginning to form your own theories and guidelines. So straights are in that weird place in Omaha where you're not quite sure if you should feel strong about it, there's usually a flush possibility and as you know with a paired board there are other larger opportunities. I would say you really have to know your opponents and depending on the game (ring or tournament) proceed accordingly.

Stix