Omaha Hi/lo Basics
Omaha Hi-Lo is one of the most popular versions of Omaha. It is a very exciting game. You must be able to focus when playing this game because there is a lot of thinking to do. Each player receives four hole cards and unlike Texas Hold'em hands like two pair or three of a kind will not usually win hands. Because of the increase of makable hands in Omaha, it's more common for hands like Flushes and a Full house to win pots.
In most Omaha games, you may only play 2 of your hole cards and three of the cards on the board (community cards.) In Omaha Hi-Lo you may use 2 of your hole cards for the high hand and 2 of your hole cards for the low hand. It is more profitable if you have the high and low hand.
In each hand dealt, there can be a high hand and possibly a low hand. It is only possible to have a low hand if 3 of the cards on the board are lower than 8. The best possible low hand is A 2 3 4 5. The best possible high hand as in any poker game is the royal straight flush.
It is very common to split the pot in Omaha Hi-Lo. For example if you are holding A 2 K Q and your opponent is holding A A J J and the board comes 3 5 6 J K, you would win half the pot with the low hand of A 2 3 5 6 and your opponent would win the other half with J J J K 6. You would have the low hand and your opponent would have the high hand.
A common mistake that many beginners make is thinking that the person with J J A A has a full house in the above example. You must remember that you can only play 2 of your hole cards in Omaha and you must only play 3 of the cards on the board.
Best Omaha Hi/lo starting hands
Your most important decisions will be made preflop. You must know the quality of your hands prior to putting any money into the pot. The best started hands are listed below:
1. A A 2 3 Double Suited
2. A A 2 4 Double Suited
3. A A 2 3 Suited
4. A A 2 5 Double Suited
5. A A 2 4 Suited
6. A A 3 4 Double Suited
7. A A 2 3 Non Suited
8. A A 2 2 Double Suited
9. A A 3 5 Double Suited
10. A A 2 6 Double Suited
I would raise preflop with any of the above hands. They are quality hands for both the high hand and the low hand. With all of the above hands, you have pocket aces which is exceptionally good for a high hand. You also have flush and straight flush possibilities with most of the above hands. These hands also give you more possibilities for the low hand. If you are holding A A 2 3 and the board comes A 5 6 K 9 you will have 3 aces that will probably be good for the high hand and you will also have A 2 3 5 6 which will be good for the low hand. You will win then entire pot with this hand which is the ultimate goal.
Second Level Omaha Hi/Lo Starting Hands
Playable starting hands are listed below. I would not suggest raising with these hands, but they are decent hands to play if you have position and good odds on your money.
• A-A-2-x
• A-A-3-x
• A-A-4-5
• A-2-3-x
• A-2-K-K
• A-2-Q-Q
• A-2-J-J
• A-3-4-5
• A-A-x-x
• A-2-K-Q
• A-2-K-J
• A-2-x-x (suited ace)
• A-3-K-K
• A-3-4-x
• 2-3-4-5 (fold if there is no ace on the flop)
• J-Q-K-A
• T-J-Q-K
• K-K-Q-J
• Q-J-T-9
• 2-3-4-x (fold if there is no ace on the flop)
• Any four cards between a ten and an ace.
Some players feel that they should raise when they have any A 2 x x. This is not a good strategy. You must get 3 cards on the board that are lower than 8 to make your low hand. You must also consider that if an ace or 2 comes on the board you will have to have yet another card below an 8 to come out on the board before you can make your low hand. Most players play A 2 x x so even if you do make your low hand if another player has A 2 you will be splitting the low hand with this person. If you and another player are splitting the low hand then you will only be getting 25% of the pot because the player with the high hand will receive 50% of the pot.