Omaha Strategy

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so quickly.

Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting ensues where players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a few entrants often get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical concept in almost every poker game.

The low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the whole pot.

While it seems complicated at first, following a few hands you will be able to get the base nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an amazing range of wagering choices and because you have numerous players shooting for the high, along with several trying for the low. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.