Before reviewing rule 64, the final rule, I want to thank Wilson Software, Inc. Without their Turbo Omaha High-Low Split software, this would not have been possible.
The starting hand rules were developed by comparing each starting hand's net win-the amount of money you should win or lose, on average, when playing each of the starting hands, from each position, under the same conditions as my test.
A negative net win indicates that a given starting hand will lose money on average. While you may win or lose with a particular hand from a certain position on any given day, in the long run individual results should approximate the average.
Net win averages each starting hand as played from each position by the same player. A particular starting hand may be profitable when played from the button, but not when played under-the-gun. A starting hand may be profitable if you can see the flop from the big blind for free and only proceed if you hit your hand. Nevertheless, this is still the best way to analyze a starting hand other than to chart it from each position, which would multiply the process ten fold.
Other considerations included the number of players at the start of a hand, each player's style, the texture of the game, and the amount of chips they have left at the start of the hand. I will look at some of these factors after completing this series.
My analysis assumes a full table, and player profiles remained constant throughout these simulations, and were chosen to construct a tight game. If all these factors were analyzed separately the number of hands to be analyzed would increase geometrically.
Rule 64-Eliminate any starting hand containing an A-2-6, A-2-7, A-2-8 or A-2-9 when unsuited except for A-2-6-K. This eliminates 21 starting hands containing an A-2. It does eliminate two slightly profitable starting hands-A-2-8-T and A-2-9-T. These both have an average net win of $1.02. The two bandits, 8 and 9, combine with a ten to help push the hand into profitability by forming a straight. Twelve marginally profitable hands are eliminated as well as seven non-profitable hands.
The one exception, A-2-6-K has a nice average net win of $3.02.
While all of the hands eliminated with this rule are unsuited, the unprofitable hands may surprise you. The A-2-6, which can form a nut low, may also form a six high straight and is a candidate for scooping. Why this unsuited hand is not profitable when combined with a nine or jack may be related to playing this hand from early position and getting trapped by a raise after entering the pot. A straight formed with the nine may easily be beaten by a higher straight. On the other hand, a straight formed with the jack will always be the nut high straight. Drawing to it can be quite costly if a deuce hits the flop with another low card, such as 2-8-K. Anyone holding an A-3 with another non-paired low card may decide to raise, especially if they have four to a flush.
Ace-2-7 is the only hand that is a consistent loser across all combinations, while A-2-9 is marginally profitable with a ten, jack and king-not so much because it is a better hand than the others, it is just easier to get away from if the flop is not a good match.
There are 722 unique starting hands that contain an A-2. Only twelve of them are unprofitable. That is less than 1.7 percent. Of the 722 starting hands that contain A-3, 139 or 18.4 percent are profitable. Ace-2 is 10 times more profitable!
There are also 115 starting hands that contain both an A-2 and A-3, as in A-2-3-X. If one were to follow one simple rule it would be this: Play only starting hands containing an A-2. Only 12 times would you be playing an unprofitable hand.
There are 11,274 unique starting hands that do not contain an A-2. 1,224 of them are profitable or marginally profitable.
Another simple rule to add to the one above would be: Play any starting hand containing two aces. Only 13 unprofitable hands slip in here.
I will leave you with one more simple rule: Play any starting hand containing two pair when one of the pairs is aces. This will allow in only one bad hand, A-A-9-9.
The starting hand charts in the next column will include all profitable starting hands. They will allow those of you who are visually inclined to retain a picture of a subset of profitable hands. The complete set of charts will also be included in my book.
So what have we learned? There are 64 rules to Omha/8 success! Not every hand containing an A-2 is profitable, but you would not be making a huge mistake to play any starting hand containing an A-2.
Lastly, here are a few more terms from my poker glossary:
Fast-A fast player is one who bets aggressively and raises often.
Fast Action Tournament-This is a tournament where the betting levels increase every 20 minutes or less.
Fast Game-A game in which there is a lot of betting and raising.
Fatten the Pot-To fatten the pot is to put or caused to be put more money into it.
Sam Mudaro, BA, MBA, is a practicing tax accountant and financial executive with 35 years of analytical business expertise. He uses simulation software to analyze and develop strategies for Omaha/8 and other forms of poker. Reach Sam at: realguru2003@yahoo.com.
