Offensive Betting-Driving (“The Initiative)-2
Must bet
When one of the above flops hits the table and it is your turn to bet, you really do not have much choice. You simply must bet unless you are trying to accomplish some high level psychological ploy. You are now in the advantageous position of seizing the offensive; you are taking the opportunity to become the “driver” and seize the initiative. It is so correct to do this, both strategically and tactically, that it is not really a question of” to drive or not to drive.”
If your approach to Texas Holdem is to just Sit there and let other people do all the betting, perhaps you should consider taking up bingo. You will not be a regular winner at poker. Look at it this way; the Gods of poker have chosen you to be the leader, so accept your role gratefully. Hopefully you are on your way to winning a pot — well, at least some of the time (you should know in advance that you are going to lose much of the time, but the times that you do win will greatly offset the losses). You must understand that your best percentage source of winning in Omaha is from driving hands (let’s call it “offense”), as opposed to chasing (“defense”).
Otherwise put, if you fail to drive when you should, you are not taking advantage of some of your best winning percentages. There is a common tendency for new Omaha players to sit back and merely call with some excellent draw hands such as four to a “nut” flush (ace, or king if ace is in the flop) or an open-ended straight (with eight “outs” or more), reflecting perhaps their “bird in hand” training which is usually correct in seven stud.
Note that there are a number of reasons for betting these hands. First, as always, if you have reasonable prospects of winning, you want to get at least some initial money into the pot. The importance of “setting up a pot,” getting the initial money into a pot which you might win, is obvious (especially if there were no raises before the flop). Many times you would actually rather not put any more of your own money into the pot until you see the next card (a flush come or a straight come). But you don’t want to risk winning a nothing por !
Nothing into something
There is a delicate balance between saving your own money and investing some of your money to make the pot look worthy of contesting in case you hit. This first after-the-flop bet often serves the purpose of turning what might have been a “nothing” pot into a “something” pot. If it is really destined to be a nothing pot, then you might as well bet and pick up the ames now, before somebody else wins the raffle. If you do get to drive with your nut come hand, and do not hit on fourth street (as usual), then you most frequently will abandon your drive (check). Less frequently, if conditions look favorable, you will continue driving and try the bluff.
Secondly, and probably most important, you want to maximize your chances of winning by driving out long-shot players who might outdraw you, for example a player with the two low pair or one pair who will normally fold the first bet. How many times have you wished you had stayed in when the fourth card turns?
