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 difficult but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. Another round of wagering happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many players can get flustered. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in just about all poker games.

A low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the entire pot.

It may seem difficult at the start, following a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming array of betting choices and seeing that you have several players trying for the high, along with several shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha hi-low.