Omaha Strategies

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has grown in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha hi low starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a few players often get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on 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 can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in nearly all poker games.

The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst 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 does the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.

While it seems complicated at the start, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous players battling for the high hand, as well as several trying for the low hand. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.