Omaha Strategy

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.

Omaha Hi-Lo begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a few players get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical approach in almost all poker games.

The lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.

It may seem difficult at first, following a few hands you will be able to get the base nuances of play simply enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an amazing collection of betting options and seeing that you have several players trying for the high hand, as well as several trying for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi low.