Omaha Strategy

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha hi low starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few players can get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in just about all poker games.

The lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low 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 is no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.

It may seem complicated at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming collection of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as several battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha High-Low.