Getting to Know Omaha Hi Lo

Of all the hi/lo Poker variants on the Internet today, none is more popular than Omaha Hi Lo, or O8. it is a standard feature in most online Poker rooms, and contrary to what some believe, its rules are quite easy enough to comprehend.

Because it is a high/low game, it means that both the highest and lowest hands will split the pot. The rules for the high hand are the same as that of Omaha Hi, and if you have played Texas Holdem, you will know that it is virtually identical, except for the fact that four cards are dealt instead of two.

As for the low hand aspect of the game, what you need to remember are the following: in order to qualify for a low, two of the hole cards must be used, and second, the highest number must be eight (hence the name Eight or better). Also, in Omaha Hi Lo, the count for low hands starts from the top, so 8-5-4-3-2-A is beaten by 7-6-4-3-2 If there is no low card, then the high hand wins the pot.

Among the basic Omaha Hi Lo strategies that you should keep in mind is that you should always make it a point to play for both high and low combinations. Only playing for highs or lows means that you will win half the money. However, given the high stakes nature of the game, and that a lot of players are loose, you could end up winning less than half most of the time. So always play for both hands; do not settle for anything less.

Something else that you should consider in your Omaha Hi Lo strategies is that middle value cards like 10-8 and suited connectors of the same number are of no value in the game. You should also be way about getting hands that are too high or too low. This cannot be overemphasized.

Too often in Omaha Hi Lo players get confused and end up thinking that their Ace high straight is the nut hand. To avoid confusion, you should, if you are still new to the game, play it tight, and look for hands like A2 or A3. The Ace in particular is valuable because in most variants of the game it can qualify for both high and low.

Omaha Hi Lo is an intricate game, which can intimidate a lot of lesser skilled players. However, as shown, most of the confusion lies in the inability to understand the low hand aspect of the game.

Once you grasp this, the rest will become clear, and you will not only play the game like a pro, but you will be able to easily take advantage of those who are stilt grappling with the basic rules of the game.