Playing Omaha Hi-Low Poker

Omaha Hi-Low poker or Omaha 8 as it is also called looks fairly similar to Texas Holdem but the game is actually quite different. The first thing to remember is that Omaha High-Low is that it is a split pot game. Since it is a split pot game, more players will probably be in the hand. The second thing to remember is that when playing Omaha High-Low poker, players may use any combination of two hold cards and the community. You must use exactly two of the four hold cards in your hand when playing Omaha Hi-Low poker.

This is a much bigger distinction than it looks. Remember this fact and it will remind of you how to look at hands properly when you play Omaha Hi-Lo poker.

As you begin to look at Omaha Hi-Low you first want to remember that since you get four cards in your starting hand you immediately have six times as many potential starting hands as in Holdem.  Because of this fact, winning hands are usually always better in Omaha poker. You want to remember that starting hands that work together are very strong in Omaha poker. A hand that has A-2-3 in it is a good starting hand, as is a hand with AKQ in it.  You want to remember that when you play either of these hands and the opposite occurs on the flop that your value is gone.

Let’s say you have the A-2-3 in your hand and high cards flop. You have probably immediately lost half the pot on the flop and you probably want to get out of the hand.  Starting hands are much more important than they look in Omaha Hi-Lo. You really want to stay away from the medium range cards because you are unlikely to make high or low. Even if you make a hand it is unlikely you will win both ends of the pot.

Your main goal in Omaha Hi-Lo casino poker is to scoop the pot. That means you want to win both ends. You can do this by holding a high hand where no low is possible or by making both a low and a high hand. Let’s say you can make a flush with your AK for the high hand but also hold a 2-3 to make a low hand as well. The main goal in Omaha Hi-Lo is to play hands that have a chance of scooping the whole pot.

Omaha Hi-Lo is a game that looks very exciting with a lot more possibilities, but it is also a game where you must be very disciplined. Texas Holdem is a game where a lot of luck is involved, and although it looks like it, Omaha poker actually has less. So many players will be drawing to the nuts that inevitably someone will get lucky and catch the card they need. While it looks lucky, it really was not. It was just playing the proper odds. Holdem is much different, because very often players do catch the miracle card to win. In Omaha poker it is not nearly as much of a miracle.

Remember that in Omaha Hi-Lo to learn the game, be selective of your starting hands, and stay disciplined.