Understanding Omaha

There are a few complications about splitting the pot in Omaha Hi-Lo but there are not always two winners, sometimes there’s only one and other times there may be as many as three or four. So what should you do if there is one hi winner and two players that tie for the lo hand?

You should “quarter the pot” rather than split the pot. Let’s say the pot is $100 and three players are looking for their cut. Player A, won the hi hand and players B and C have both tied for the lo hand.

Player A= $50
Player B= $25
Player C= $25
               $100

Because the pot is $100 and two players tied for the lo hand, they simply split the normal portion and if three players tied for the lo hand then players B, C and the third player would each receive 1/3 of $50.

Even though Omaha Hi-Lo has the option for two winners, don’t aim for lo hands only; the object of the game is still to gain the highest-ranking poker hand possible. Also remember the restriction of a lo hand, you can’t have a card higher than “8” and you must use at least two pocket or hole cards in combination with the community. You should be quick on your feet at the flop to determine which hand you’ll go after. Below are a few tips that could prove useful when playing Omaha Hi-Lo.

If you have a hi hand:
If it’s evident right after the flop that your hand is looking hi, play aggressive and take your bets all the way to the end even if your hand is looking less than perfect right before the river. Pay attention to all of the cards dealt, if you have one community that’s a five and a hole card that’s a five, don’t assume you can win on the prospect of another five popping up. Remember that because there are five community cards, the chances for straights and flushes are highly possible and depending on trips may not get it.

If you have a lo hand:
The same stipulation applies on a lo hand, if you’re playing at a small table then the chances of someone else having a lo hand are increased as well but don’t let that hold you back. If you’re paying attention to the cards and the likelihood of what’s been dealt, what’s in the deck and the actions of the other players, if you have a relatively better than average lo hand then run with it. Bet aggressively but remember that chances of quartering the pot and the total amount. If there are less than four players and you bet vigorously, you may not rake out as much as you’ve put in.

Strategy Hand by Hand
One of the biggest mistakes some Omaha hi-lo players make is relating the game to a “river game”. The player waits until the last card, the river card pops up to make a bet and in turn signaling every other player that they have a winning hand. If you act too cautious on betting, then later as your cards come together you bet aggressively and you ultimately wait, it creates cautiousness at the table. The more players bet, the bigger the pot and the better the chance is that you can rake in some real winnings.

Before the flop, manipulate the pot and play to the fullest. Be fearless and show the other players you are aggressive. This will beef up the competitive spirit on the table and loosen some players up to competition.

After the flop, evaluate your standing and your probabilities and tighten up if needed.

Don’t sweat the turn card because the mathematical part of the game is over by this point. You should know your standing on the turn and know what your next move will be. Never underestimate other players, but see how they react on the turn because most inexperienced players are still calculating and it shows. If you can see the wheels of thought turning or a vast rush of esteem, you know what to do.

Summary
People do play variants of Omaha Hi-Lo like regular Omaha. In regular Omaha, the dealing is the same, the number of cards dealt are the same and the only variant is that there is no lo hand winner it’s all hi. Also some choose to lower the restriction of 8 to 5, which makes winning on a lo hand much more difficult. If you’ve ever played Texas Holdem, you’ll see the likeness between all three.

The object of Omaha Hi-Lo is to build the pot and many players who aren’t experienced see this as somewhat risky. It’s also the reason why relatively poor poker players tend to shy away from Omaha Hi-Lo as well as the reason experienced players love to play. The pots in Omaha Hi-Lo can be hefty, leaving players with lots of room to win big payouts.

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