Play on the Flop
Any time that an ace hits on the flop, you have to tighten up significantly. As noted previously, an ace is a key card that can go either high or low.
Many high hands can get counterfeited by people making three aces and aces full, and an ace also can make a lot of the low hands, especially against those players who wait for premium low hands like ace-deuce-trey.
Notice that if an ace hits the board with another low card, an opponent can now have the nut low draw with a pair of aces and possibly other draws working.
Not only does this devalue your high hand, but you also may be against a two-way hand that might not need further improvement, except in a big multiway pot where a lot of strong hands will be made.
When an ace flops and is one of two suited cards, it is less probable that someone may make the nut flush, because the better players are reluctant to play a king with a suited card .
But when a two flush that does not include an ace comes on the flop, it is more likely that a nut flush draw is out, since an ace with a suited card is a hand that most people like to play.
Suppose the flop come and you hold two queens. In a multiway pot, this type of flop easily could give someone else a wrap-around straight draw, which means that any card between a nine and an ace might complete the straight.
If there is a fair amount of money in the pot already, it is correct for you (the player with the big set) to raise or perhaps to try for a check-raise in an effort to knock out other players who have (so far) only three cards to a low, even though the possible straight draw puts you at risk.
If players with a low draw aren’t forced out and low cards come, one of your opponents may back into a straight that can beat your three queens.
Now suppose you are in a multiway poker pot and have a wrap-around straight draw with the flop given in the example.
You would not want to knock out other players, because you must complete your straight to win the pot and most of the cards that will make your hand will not bring the lows into play.
Thus, even though you have a high hand, you want all the lows in, while someone with a big set would want them out.
Of course, if you have a wrap-around straight draw and think one of your opponents has a similar hand, you probably would want to eliminate all players with low draws.
By doing so, you might end up splitting for high with no one getting a low (you won’t get quartered), you may scoop the pot with just a high pair, or if low cards come, you might be able to bluff your opponent out.
As can be seen from this discussion, in Ohmaha eight-or-better, there are frequently different ways to play your hand.
You should spend some time both at and away from the table thinking about some of these situations, since the immediate obvious strategy may not always be the best approach. ( basic strategy.)
Introduction / General Concepts / Position / Low Hands / High Hands / Your Starting Hand / Starting With Big Pairs / When You Are First In / How To Play Your Hand / Play on the Flop / When Your Have the Best Hand / Afterthought
