Pot Limit Omaha HiLo Game Tactics. Part I
Posted on July 14, 2008
The Procedure of Playing Pot Limit Hi Lo Games. The 1st Part
The term pot limit means that a player can’t make a bet more than that of the pot. However one should remember that a player who raises bets has to call the existing bet first.
For example, there are $100 in the pot and Player A bets $50, Player B wants to raise the bet to the maximum so first he sees his opponent’s $50 (now the pot is $200) and then raises $200. Acting this way Player B actually puts in the pot $250 and now every next player entering the pot is expected to put $250 in the pot.
In Omaha the entering bet (first after the big blind) often is 2 or 2.5 times higher than the big blind. Thereby it is often difficult to estimate how much money the first player can bet – how much money was there after he had called. (Because it defines the raising size). Now we have to work out a rule concerning the entering sum for games in which a player enters the pot for a sum higher than the big blind. Most Omaha games use to define the entering money the following rule: “Maximum input is doubled against minimum.” After someone has entered the pot we return to the usual for pot limit games counting system.
Though in various poker rooms poker rules are not universal there is a certain opinion consensus as to the rules for playing pot limit poker games.
I want to draw your attention to the standard set of pot limit Omaha hilo rules.
1) Raising if it’s not all-in has to be equal or higher than any previous bet or any raise on this street.
Certain pits neglect this requirement in heads-up games. I think this rule should always be applied because this is a rule in a lot of regions of the country, small raise will thus work for them. If a small raise is allowed in heads-up games there will appear situations when one opponent says “I raise!” and the other folds his cards at once without even waiting to find out the size of the raise, yet the raiser wanted to increase the bet only for one chip.
2) To resume bargaining the all-in bet has to be equal or higher than any previous raise or a bet on the same street.
(It doesn’t have to be equal to the total bet.) Compare this rule with the limit poker rule concerning half a bet or higher to resume bargaining.
3) The pot size to define the maximum allowed raise includes a sum which a player must put in the pot to call a bet.
The chips which were excluded from the pot (to make it even) and any other money necessary to put in the pot because of a missed blind are also included.
For continuation see Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo Game Tactics. Part II.
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