Omaha High Poker Lessons
Omaha is usually played in Hi/Lo variation, meaning the pot is split between the highest hand and the lowest hand.
If you do not have an 8 or lower among your four hole cards, you cannot qualify for low.
If Five or more cards 8 or lower do not end up in the community cards, there is no possibility for low. In that case, the pot will not be split (unless two hands will tie for high).
Aces are either low or high. Straights and flushes do not count for low.
Omaha Hi-Lo Poker Flash Tutorial
Omaha High Poker Tips
- In Omaha, always play for the nut! In the game of Omaha, it usually takes the “nut” hand or something close to that to win. The nut is a hand that can only be beaten by hidden quads or straight flushes, which are referred to as the “pure nuts”. A paired card of three of a kind very seldom win in this poker game, you always need to shoot for the nut straight, nut flush, or nut full house to win.
- Your starting hands should be coordinated. Since Omaha produces numerous card combinations, the best starting hands are those where all four cards are working together. This means that the four cards should have a straight possibility that may wrap around the flop. Double suited hands with Aces are good for the nut flush, however, three or four cards of the same suit is usually garbage as it diminishes your flush possibilities.
- Be alerted for the nut hand possibilities. Make sure you have identified the three best hand possibilities of your cards and how they make change as the boards develops (as each round unfolds).
- Big pairs rarely win. A high pair with a good kicker is good for a Texas Hold'em game but not in Omaha. Here you'll need to flop two pair, a set, or better. Also you usually don't raise before a flop, unless you are holding Aces or Kings. One of the few scenarios where you can raise is when you are unraised on the button and have a really strong hand.
- You can play some weaker hands if you're in the late position to bet. That is if the bet has not been raised and you are last to act. This is of course in hoping that the next rounds will improve your hand.
- Know which hand to value or fold. Fold your straight or straight draw if that's all you're holding and you don't flop an unpaired rainbow. But if you do get the right kind of flop, bet/raise to discourage the back door flush draws. Also don't put too much value on a small pair, if for example you have a pair of 4 this is only useful if you flop a set. Then again a low set is not useful when playing Omaha.
- Observe your opponents. Study your opponent's moves and strategy. Do they bluff, or can they be bluffed? Do they show “tells” (giveaway behavior) that would disclose information about their hands? This is very important skill in all poker games.
- Let your opponent catch you bluffing once in a while. This will help make you unpredictable thereby creating a strategy that's hard to read. When a player bluffs, he can win a pot that he sometimes don't deserve. You may lose a few chips while you're building this strategy, but it will get you calls from weaker hands down the line when you are really strong and needing the action.
- Check the raiser's chips. Players who are close to all-in usually rush the betting just to get all their chips in a sink-or-swim last hand that doesn't merit a raise.
Omaha Poker Lesson | Omaha Poker Lesson Hi-Lo Tips
