Omaha Hi-Lo Starting Hands The best starting hands in Omaha Hi-Lo are A-A-2-3 double-suited followed by A-A-2-4 double-suited. These are very strong because they can be played for both high and low, which gives them great scoop potential. Of course being suited or (even better) double-suited adds value to every hand. The full name of Omaha Hi/Lo is actually Omaha Hi/Lo split, Eight or better. Since that is a bit of a mouthful, everyone calls it simply 'Omaha Hi/Lo'. However, what does 'split, Eight or better' actually mean? The 'split' part is easy that is just the fifty-fifty split between the winner of the high hand and the winner of the low.
So you’ve mastered the basics. You understand the nature of the game, starting hand qualities, the importance of position, how high and low possibilities affect your pot odds, why a dry A2 is not the second coming…etc. The $64,000 question is: how far will this take you and how do you improve?
Omaha Hi/Lo 8-or-better is a community card game similar to Omaha and Texas Hold’em. The pot is split between the best high hand and the best qualifying A-5 low hand. Omaha Hi/Lo Poker Gameplay. A hand begins with the first players clockwise from the dealer placing forced bets, known as blinds. Each player is dealt 4 hole cards. As the name suggests, Omaha hi-lo is a 'split-pot' version of Omaha poker in which players compete for both the 'high' and 'low' halves of the pot. Omaha hi-lo is usually played with fixed-limit. Owing to its frequently large pots, Omaha Hi/Lo (also called 'Omaha High Low', 'Omaha H/L', 'Omaha/8' or 'Omaha 8-or-better') has become a hugely popular game around the world. Some people think that Omaha hi lo is the game of the future.
The first answer will depend to a large degree on your game selection. Some $5/$10 games are a lot easier to beat than some $2/$4 games. The basic trait of good omaha games is looseness. (Be sure not to confuse looseness with short-handed aggression!) In general, the loosest games will be the easiest to beat. But with increasing knowledge on how to play the game, the game seems to play tighter. What is your edge beyond basic play? What separates merely “good” players from excellent players and experts? Something clearly makes a difference. Fortunately, most of these “special” qualities can be understood and developed to a high degree. I will address two that often separate men from the boys, so to speak.
The Pivotal Factor
The less leaks you have, the more you will make. In a game where players have roughly equal playing abilities, psychology becomes the pivotal factor. This does not merely apply to “big bet poker” (pot limit and no limit). Sure, it is faster to tilt your bankroll away in a no limit game, but experiences of many testify that it is just as easy in a limit game. Curiously, even very successful high limit players have huge leaks here. Chip Reese, long acknowledged as one of the best all-around players in the world, said in an interview: “I can give you names of guys who are up-and-coming superstars, who are supposed to be great players. I see them when they play in the big games and things go bad; you can’t believe how they play. They break down…” (Gambling Wizards, 62-63). Not that hard to believe, really. Watch some of the “superstars” eliminated early on in the World Series. How many throw a tantrum? How many are prone to negative self-defeating reactions that cripple their game? Most players do not realize that the maxim “we have met the enemy and it is us” amply applies to them. By reacting in destructive and disruptive ways, you are not only damaging the quality of your play, you are making your opponents feel better! Keep saying “I just cannot win in this game” and soon everyone will really believe it, including you. Make an honest assessment of how you fare in this category. You can be your own best friend if you want to. Most people do not and their marginal earning rate reflects that. Plug the biggest common leak and you’ll be more than on the way!
There’s a Pattern to their Madness
If you post one “poker truth” next to your computer to read every day, this is it. Ed Miller said it and he said it well: “every cent of your long-term profit playing poker comes from exploiting your opponents’ errors and predictable tendencies” (Small Stakes Hold’em, 16). The same is equally true of omaha, if not more so. The tendencies of many omaha players can be easily observed, understood, and used against them. Where are the errors? What should you look for? Which area of play should you analyze and dissect?
One of the most rewarding and distinguishing area of study is the “science of raising”. Some players will raise preflop with any dry A2. Others with raise with an A2XX and at least some counterfeit protection. Others will raise only with an A2 that has some counterfeit protection as well as a suited ace. You want to understand the meaning of your opponents’ actions. The raise of a rock is very different from the raise of a maniac. By observing tendencies, you can make some very educated guesses about the possible holdings. You will get better with practice. Some players will become very “obvious” to you with time. I would in fact suggest that once you select your competition and do your “spying”, you should stick to it! Why double your effort and re-do your homework? If you find players whose play is fairly transparent to you, why look for anybody else? If you have a very good idea about what the raises mean on each turn, how your opponent thinks and what he is capable of, your edge increases dramatically.
Some players feel that poker education is improving the quality of play and makes the games less profitable. The truth is, if you know that your opponent is playing a good, basic game, you know more about their play because their actions at the table are meaningful. They have a pattern.
Your Best Friend
No, I am not talking about dogs (although having a pet can really take loads off!). I am referring to Poker Tracker Omaha. Use it. Let it run on your favorite tables and collect all the data. Sit back, relax, or go to sleep. I routinely keep my omaha software on during the night. In the morning, I check on the players I am interested in. Some of their stats are more familiar to me than my own phone number. I know how often and in which situations they raise, how well they understand the quality of their hand, when they tilt and how to spot it, how aggressive they are…etc. You do not need to collect the data via the “caveman” manual method of watching the table. Your computer can do that for you. How easy is that? Put some distance between you and your competition.
When You Cannot Beat that @#$ing Limit
One final tip that is extremely useful. Suppose you cannot beat a certain limit. Here’s something that helps. Collect a mass of detailed data on the players who can! You will likely see that they do certain things (“small things”) differently than you. With Poker Tracker Omaha, winning ceased to be a secret. You become successful by studying success! What’s stopping you?
Happy playing!
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Omaha Hi-Lo is quickly catching on in the poker world as time passes and more players expand into new forms of poker. Finding the best Omaha Hi-Lo poker site doesn’t have to be a chore thanks to our list of the top poker sites for Omaha Hi-Lo poker. These online poker rooms are ranked according to the number of Omaha tables they have available, the quality of those games, and our overall impressions with the site.
One thing to remember about Omaha Hi-Lo poker is that you won’t find as many players as you will for other poker variations. The good news is that these Omaha poker sites are still large enough that you won’t have any problems finding tables and tournaments at all hours.
Best Omaha Hi Lo Poker Sites
Any of the poker sites above are a great choice for Omaha H/L players. If you wish to play Omaha High-Low online but don't know the game yet, read on for the full rules of Omaha High-Low poker.
How to Play Omaha Hi-Lo
Omaha Hi-Lo poker is played in the same manner as Omaha High except for the showdown rules. In Omaha Hi-Lo, each pot is split between the player with the best poker hand and the player with the lowest poker hand. Some players can even qualify for both halves of the pot and win the entire thing.
A player must have five unpaired hands ranked 8 or lower to qualify for the low half of the pot. Aces are ranked as low and straights/flushes are ignored when qualifying for the low half. The best possible Omaha Hi-Lo hand is A2345. That very same hand can also be used to win the high half of the pot as a straight.
The Blinds
Omaha Hi-Lo uses a system of blinds to start each pot with a little money in it. At the beginning of each hand, the two players to the left of the dealer must pay the blinds. The first player to the left (the small blind) must place a bet equal to half the size of the lower betting limit. The next player to the left (the big blind) must place a bet equal to one full minimum bet.
Omaha Hi-lo Best Low Hand
Preflop
After the blinds are paid, the dealer gives each player four cards face down. These cards are called the “hole” cards and should not be shared with the other players at the table. The dealer passes out one card at a time to each player moving clockwise around the table until each player has four cards.
Next, there is a round of betting. This betting round begins with the player to the left of the big blind. Each player may now take turns calling the minimum bet to stay in, folding or raising. If any player raises, the other players must either call that raise, re-raise it or fold.
The Flop
The dealer now deals three cards face up in the middle of the table. These cards are called “community cards” because they are shared by all the players at the table. The players can use the community cards in combination with any two of their hole cards to create the best possible hand.
Another betting round takes place but this time the betting begins with the first player to the left of the dealer. If the small blind is still in the hand, this betting round would begin with that player. This time, the players may check, bet or fold. If any player makes a bet, the option to fold is lost. Players must either match the current bet, raise it or fold.
The Turn
One card is dealt face up next to the flop. The players now have another betting round similar to the previous round. If this is a fixed limit game, all bets and raises must now be made in increments of the upper betting limit.
The River
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One last card is dealt face up next to the flop and turn. The players have one more betting round just like the previous betting round. If there are two or more players remaining after this round of betting, the remaining players have a showdown.
Omaha Hi-lo Instructions
In the showdown, the players may now reveal their hands. The pot is split between the player with the best high hand and the player with the best low hand. The players may use any three of the community cards in combination with any two of their hole cards to form their hands.