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Omaha Hi-Lo Strategy
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Proven Strategies For Omaha 8 Or Better
Omaha Hi-Lo, also known as Omaha 8/b, Omaha 8 or better and Omaha split has grown into one of the most played poker games. This is a variation of regular Omaha poker, with the biggest different being that there are two pots – the high hand and the low hand. Omaha Hi-Lo hands are made up of two holes cards with the remaining hand being made from the community cards. The low hand must have cards that are valued at eight or under. This doesn't always happen though so in these cases the player with the best hand wins the whole pot. Although many of the strategies that you can follow when learning to play Omaha Hi-Lo will be very helpful, nothing can replace simply getting yourself out there and playing the game first hand. Many of the online poker rooms offer a great way for Omaha Hi-Lo enthusiasts to hone their skills in free practice play. Here are some of the common strategies for Omaha Hi-Lo:
The Low Pot In Omaha Hi-Lo
This is definitely the trickiest pot to win. Most players stay so focused on the low pot that they miss many opportunities to win the high pot. The high pot is the better of the two because the odds of having to share it with someone are very slim. This is not true for the low pot which is commonly split between 2 or more players. Going after the low hand can also be complicated for new players. The nut low hand can change with each community card. If you are holding the lowest possible hand at the turn you might end up with a garbage hand on the flop because it matched one of the cards you were using for the nut low. Here are some examples:
- Community Cards: A-7-8-9-K
- Your Cards: 2-3-10-Q
Right now you have the nut low with A-2-3-7-8. If a two (or three) comes on the river your hand will be greatly weakened and will most likely be a loser. The best tip I can give you is to put more focus on winning the high pot. Two players having the same low hand is a pretty common occurrence. Even if two players have the nut low straight they could still end up losing money in the hand because if you have their straight beat you will win ½ of the pot and they will only get a quarter each. This is commonly called “being quartered”.
Starting Hands
Hand selection is a vital part of a winning Omaha Hi-Lo strategy. You should be playing hands that give you a chance at both the low and high pot. When a player wins both pots its called “scooping”. You may be tempted to play crap hands but in the end it will cost you money. Overplaying hands like A-2-x-x or A-A-x-x will also cost you money. Granted those are both very good hands but the best hands are where all four of your hole cards are playable. Hands like 2-3-K-K or A-2-9-10 (double suited ) may not be the lowest or the highest but they give you the most possibilities.
Omaha High Low Flop Strategies
The bulk of the potential profit a well rounded Omaha H/L player can expect to win comes from capitalizing off of inexperienced players who draw to non-nut low hands. Another mistake that newbies to Omaha Hi-Lo tend to make is drawing to a running low. This occurs when a player puts too much value in a low starting hand but the flop reveals higher cards. Now, in order to win just half of the pot, these players are taking a costly chance just to catch a low hand.