Poker Strategies

A split pot version of your regular Omaha Poker, Omaha 8 or Better follows rules that are similar to those followed in Omaha High. There is only one difference: a qualifying low hand will take half the pot.  This hand is a five card hand of five unique cards eight or below.  Straights and flushes don’t count against low hands while aces play both high and low. That makes the wheel best low hand (A-2-3-4-5).  This variation is typically played in either a limit or a pot-limit fashion but here we discuss only Limit Omaha-8.

When playing Omaha Online Poker, you must use two cards in your hand and three from the board.  The same holds true in hi-lo. The only difference is that you do not have to use the same two cards for both high and low.  For example, you have A-2-K-Q and the board ran out 3-6-7-K-Q.  You can play your K-Q for two pair to take high. You can play your A-2 to give you the nut low too.

The key to long term success in Omaha Hi/Lo poker is knowing what a good starting hand is.  The object of the game is to scoop pots as much as you can.  This is when you win both the high and low sides of the pot, and when there are no qualifying lows. You need to play hands that give you a decent chance to do this and will want hands that have an ace and one or more wheel cards.  Hands containing A-2 or A-3 are powerful hands.  A-4 and up are a bit tricky and should be played only in the blinds. You should for cards that are suited and connected in your hand and would want cards suited with your ace.

Remember that this is a drawing Poker game which means you will constantly be drawing to either a low, a straight, flush or full house.  You need to always be aware of the possibilities on the board.  When you are not drawing to the nuts in one or more directions, you may want to get out of the hand.  Do get out if you are drawing to a straight and there are three suited cards on board.  A full house is likely if you are drawing and the board is paired. In this case, you will want to get out.  Fold if you have only 2nd or third nut low and more than one opponent is in the hand. Don’t play second best hands because they will only cause you money.

A player is said to be quartered when he has tied another player for one side of the pot. This will most probably occur on the low side of the pot.  In this case, a player will receive only one-third of the total pot.  If there are only two or three players are in the pot then a player will lose money in a quartered pot.

A player is counterfeited when a card falls on the board and eliminates the ability for the player to make low.  For example, you are counterfeited if you hold A-2-10-J and the flop falls A-7-8.  You can only make a low if a fourth low card falls, and it will not be a nut low.  This term also applies when a player whose nut low is eliminated and left with a weaker low.

The various combination of starting hands among other things makes Omaha hi-lo a more complex than most variations. But armed with the basics, you can now go on and play the game. You’ll eventually pick up along the way and learn more.