Poker Strategy

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has grown in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha hi/lo begins just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few players get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in nearly all poker games.

The lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.

Although it seems complex at the start, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha hi-low offers an amazing collection of betting options and because you have several individuals trying for the high hand, and many trying for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.