This might seem silly, but it's true. Almost anyone can squeeze two hold'em cards and keep them hidden from his neighbour, but it's not as easy when you're holding four cards.

You actually need to practice holding your cards in a manner where you can see them and your opponents can't. Omaha players are quite accustomed to getting free looks at their neighbours' cards, simply because they hold them up like a five-card draw hand to see them.

While on the subject of holding your cards, it's also important either to have a perfect memory for suits – something most of us lack – or to be willing to check back at your hand to see if you are suited there when two flush cards hit the flop.

Because this is a signal that if you're suited it's almost certainly not with a suited Ace (players remember when they have suited Aces), if you do need to go back and look at your cards you also need to do it on hands even when you know perfectly well that you hold the A♠-10♠. If you're playing a long session with the same players, or playing a game with regulars, your opponent who holds K♠-Q♠ will only need one stinging reminder that you'll check your cards again even with a suited Ace – he won't take your glance back as a tell ever again.

If you're lucky enough to find a live Omaha game, then you need to be comfortable with four cards, not the usual two.