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Heads-Up Play in Fixed Limit Omaha

It is rather amazing, and I must say deeply flattering, how often I am approached by people on the street or in other public venues, and asked the following question: “Floyd, how should I react in a heads-up poker situation?” Though I think it’s remarkable that some total stranger would have the gall to approach a celebrity of Floyd Manning’s status and blurt out such a pathetically revelatory question about his or her own inadequacies, who can blame them?

Do I hear you say such an action is not so pathetic? Well, perhaps you are among those lost souls who have seen fit to accost me in such a fashion. Or, perhaps you are simply a more tolerant and forbearing individual than myself. I will choose to assume the latter, and attempt to walk the same high road which you demonstrate with such benign patience.

Therefore, as a way over penitence for the gruff discourtesy with which I have answered such public queries in the past, allow me to take a few moments and give an answer that I hope will be at least partially satisfying. For the sake of clarity, I would like to limit my answer to a particular poker variant, because as the old adage says, “in universality is found specificity.”

So, just for the sake of conversation, the variant I will choose is fixed limit Omaha. How do you deal with a heads-up situation in fixed limit Omaha? For openers, I would advise you pay an inordinate amount of attention to your starting hand, well before a heads-up confrontation develops. Yes, even more laser- like attention than you would be apt to give your hole cards in a game of Texas Holdem. Since you are dealt four hole cards in Omaha, your brain must go into overtime to picture the potential combinations you are likely to build from them. Always be sure to look for double-suited cards, as well as cards that are running in consecutive order. Your chances of drawing a straight flush or building multiple matching hands are greatly increased if your hole cards lay out in a desirable way.

Depending on the strength of your starting hand, you will want to move into the flop betting round in either an aggressive or passive fashion. Generally, most poker experts will advise you to proceed with a tight game in the flop, at least to see what arises from the three face-up cards being dealt. If you end up hitting the flop as anticipated, you may well move on to a more aggressive style of play as you prepare to go into the turn and finally the river. All this leads into a potential heads-up confrontation, but should you arrive at that point, you want to make sure that your attack is based on a solid foundation and not empty posturing.

Also, you must attempt to tailor your game play to whatever feels like the most comfortable fit. Get an experience of playing an Omaha sit and go poker tournament. It is the height of hubris to attempt an aggressive style if you feel much more natural in a conservative mode. A skilled opponent will be able to read your discomfort, and exploit it in the most savage way. So always make your best effort to go with the flow, which is perhaps the most important “heads up” rule of all.