The difference between Omaha Pot Limit and Omaha Split Limit

The difference between the form of poker known as Omaha poker when it is played "pot limit" and "split limit" is so massive that they are completely different games.

In Omaha poker players receive four cards each face down and must use two of these along with any three of five common cards dealt in the middle of the table.

There are four betting rounds as in hold'em. In the UK pot limit is the preferred version. This means that players can bet or raise whatever amount there is in the pot. Much of the time this results in all the chips going in when the flop is dealt - the second round of betting.

In the USA and in many parts of mainland Europe the split limit variety is preferred.

With bets or raises limited to say EURO 10 on the first two rounds and EURO 20 on rounds three and four it is almost impossible for a player to go all in - bet the lot.

The effect of this is that there is a lot more loose play. There are more people in each pot with very unpromising starting cards.

There is far more raising too - after all if a player who raises from EURO 10 to EURO 20 is only exposed to a re-raise of a further EURO 10 this is not particularly scary.

This may sound like the chaos version of poker but believe it or not there are tactics and strategies which can work long term.

An old Las Vegas pro passed on to me what his Grand Daddy told him about limit Omaha. "First build a big pot and then try to work out how to win it", he said.

This may seem to be poker suicide, a new way to massacre one's chips, but it is mathematically sound in some situations.

For example say a player is in late position and there has been a raise from 10 to 20 and five other people have called. It is almost worth getting involved with any four cards - and not by just calling but by raising.

If six players are in the pot having paid EURO 30 each to see it, there will be EURO 180 in the pool. The opening bet at this stage will be EURO 10 which means the worst odds a player gets will be almost 20 to 1.

Now even drawing to a gut shot straight (a single card in the middle of a run) is a viable proposition at just over 10 to 1 against.