Pot Limit Omaha Poker: Book Review
This book by Jeff Hwang published in 2008 is one of the best Omaha book around and should be compulsory reading
for all aspiring Omaha High and Omaha High/Low grinders and sharks.
The first half of the book covers Pot-Limit Omaha Poker as the name suggests, and emphasizes the
so-called "big play" strategy. This is a fundamental concept defining the difference between good and bad players.
After explaining what is meant by the big play, the author produces an in-depth analysis, discussing odds and
implied odds, straight draws, pre and post flop play, followed by numerous practice hands quizzes and then
general advice such as bankroll management.
The second half of the book is dedicated to
Omaha Hi/Lo,
with advanced material both in fixed limit and pot-limit Omaha.
Pot-Limit Omaha Big Play
Whether you are a poker professional or a casual player, this is one of the best-written introductory Omaha
book and it will provide you with the powerful big play strategy that you must learn if you want to be profitable.
In short the big play strategy is not a big bluff in Omaha. On the contrary it consists in putting yourself in situations where you can win a huge pot, aiming to
take your opponent's entire stack. You have to understand, recognize and prepare for scenarios where you have a large
upside with limited downside.
The book helps you position yourseld for these big wins characteristic of modern Omaha poker, while teaching you the fundamentals
so that you know how to play efficiently the smaller pots as well.
Straights with redraws are a favorite type of hands for Jeff Hwang. Unlike scary 3-flush and paired boards, straight draws are
more innocuous hands with up to 21 outs. The ideal case is when you share the nuts straight with your opponent, but you are
also drawing to a higher straight whereas he is not.
So you are guaranteed to win at least half the pot and he will win at most half the pot. In other words, you have a
freeroll on his stack.
These amazing scenarios may also occur with a straight with a redraw to the nuts flush, a straight or flush with a
redraw to a full house, or a boat with a draw to a higher boat. One interesting part of the book tells you which hands
you should play pre flop in order to achieve these extraordinary results based on the big play concept.
All of the types of big play potential hand structures are presented in a systematic and lucid way. If there is only
one Omaha book you should read, this is the one. Mastering and applying its material is guaranteed to lead to massive profits
at the tables.
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