How to Bluff in Omaha Poker
Bluffing in Omaha is much different than bluffing in Texas Hold'em. Since each player has four cards there are going to be many more draws and outs for everyone at the table, so forcing all the players off of their hands will be a tough feat. Follow these rules to make successful bluffs in Omaha, or learn more about Omaha vs. Texas Hold'em:
How Experienced of a Poker Player Are You?
If you are new to playing poker, you shouldn't rush into bluffing. Take your time to get a feel for the game and slowly establish your own personal playing style. New players often bluff into tough spots, and their aggressive opponents pick up on it and raise their bluff. We recommend staying away from bluffing until you've played a few sessions and have a good feel for Omaha poker.
How do Other Players View You at the Poker Table?
The success of your bluffs depends heavily on your table image. If players think you're a newbie or are a really loose player, they're more likely to call your bets. If they think you're a rock and very tight, they're more likely to respect your bets and fold.
You can really use table image to your advantage, as long as you have a clear view of your current image. If you feel like other players see you as aggressive, tighten up for a few rounds and show down some good hands. After that you'll be seen as tight, so you can steal more pots.
How Many Players are in the Hand?
One of the major factor that you should consider when bluffing is how many opponents you have in the hand. The less players in the hand, the better. As a matter of fact, I'd never suggest bluffing into a pot that has more than four total players in it, including yourself. Even four players is a stretch; I'd prefer three max.
The reason you want less players is because the more players that are in, the more hole cards that are out there, which makes it more likely that someone has connected with the board.
Which Players are in the Hand?
Any poker player knows you should watch a few hands before really getting into the action at a new table. One of the reasons this is important is to get a feel for what kind of players are at the table. Check out who's a calling station, who's a tight player, and who's the maniac who's bluffing away his/her chips. Then, before bluffing take a look at what other players are in the hand. Bluffing a calling station never works, as they just call and call and call and most of the time will end up hitting something and beating you.
If I had my choice, I'd prefer to bluff into a rock, meaning a player who only plays when they have the nuts. I love bluffing rocks because they fold 90% of the time, and when they don't fold you know they have a monster and you can muck your cards.
How Much Money is in the Pot?
Another important factor when bluffing is how much money is already in the pot. You need to size your bluffs appropriately, or maybe even call a bluff off based on the size of the pot. Keep in mind that the bigger the pot is, the more you'll have to bet to make a successful bluff.
If the pot is already $100 and you only have $40 left in your stack, going all-in isn't a great decision if it's a pure bluff. The other player will have over 3:1 odds to call your bet, so you're pretty much screwed.
What Position do you Have?
Position is always a key part to bluffing. Bluffing in early position is a reckless move to make. You have no idea what other players may have and you may get yourself into some trouble when someone with a high pocket pair re-raises you or pushes all in. Then you are stuck between a rock and a hard spot.
The best position to raise is on the button, or the player to the right of the dealer. This is known as late position. Late position allows you to see what the other players at the table are going to do and how they are feeling about their cards. If most of the table folds and there have been no raises, this is an excellent time to raise.
Make sure you think about all of these factors before bluffing. That should help to make you a successful, more comfortable bluffer.