Omaha Strategies

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better begins like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering ensues and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many entrants get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in almost every poker game.

The low hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.

It may seem complicated at first, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the base subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an exciting range of betting options and seeing that you have numerous players battling for the high, as well as a few trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.