Omaha Strategies

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha hi low starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where many players get confused. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical notion in almost every poker game.

The lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.

It may seem complicated at the start, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an overwhelming range of betting choices and because you have several players battling for the high hand, and a few trying for the low hand. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.