Basic Omaha Poker Strategy: Turn and River Plays

Omaha is a simple form of poker that common poker players enjoy. However, the game needs to be played with good strategies, especially during the turn and river plays when plays get to their climax. Here are some basic Omaha poker strategy pointers to remember when playing at the turn and river.

An important pointer here is that at the turn we should at least come out with a flush or straight. For example, if at pre-flop we had QQ42 and the flop came 10-Q-A and the turn came with a Q, a good basic Omaha poker strategy is nearing its completion. All it needs now is an aggressive bet. If we hand-read others and see that someone might bet, we should supplement our basic Omaha poker strategy with a check-raise.

When there is no other bettor at the turn and we have a flush hit as the above then we should make sure that we make the bet. We should not let anyone steal our hit - those with a set or two-pair that might into a full-house by the time the play reaches the river. A good basic Omaha poker strategy here is to not allow anyone get a free card at the turn.

In another situation, when the game gets to the river and there is no possibility for a flush or straight on the board, our two-pair or set is doing okay momentarily. But then comes the river with a scare card. In a multi-way pot, checking here is the right option. If someone check-raises us we double our bet in the hand - so our check had been called for. But if the opponent seems to have a two-pair and rarely check-raises, betting may be the basic Omaha poker strategy needed here.

On the other hand, if we stand in the place of the opponent we may opt to bet than check-raise as a basic Omaha poker strategy if we hit our winning hand at river play. This is to safeguard against a down check. In this situation it is good to mix strategies - betting or check-raising - as a form of bluffing to avoid being predictable when a situation like this arises. When they fear our check-raise they might forgo betting on the river.

Turn and river plays are crucial in the final phases of a win. A basic Omaha poker strategy should be in place to secure our pot especially when we're barely ahead and opponents can easily steal our win.