Omaha Strategy

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha/8 begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting happens. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where some entrants often get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in almost all poker games.

A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.

While it seems difficult at first, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of play with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi low provides an overwhelming collection of wagering choices and seeing that you have many players shooting for the high, and many battling for the low. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.