Omaha Strategies

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A round of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few entrants often get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize exactly three cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just 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 same approach in just about every poker game.

A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.

Although it seems complex at first, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 provides an amazing array of wagering options and because you have many players trying for the high, along with many battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha/8.