Omaha Strategy

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better begins like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where many entrants often get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize exactly three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in nearly every poker game.

A low hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.

It may seem complex at first, after a couple of rounds you will be able to get the base nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming array of wagering choices and seeing that you have many players shooting for the high hand, as well as many battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha hi-low.