Omaha Strategy

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has increased in popularity so rapidly.

Omaha/8 starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where many players can get flustered. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize exactly three cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same concept in almost all poker games.

The low hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.

While it seems difficult at the outset, following a couple of hands you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/low offers an exciting range of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have numerous players battling for the high hand, as well as several battling for the low. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.