For a player to be able to make a low winning combination in Omaha Hi/Lo, they must create a 5-card hand in which the highest-ranked card must be an 8. While making a low combination, Aces can be considered low cards (an Ace is regarded as a High Card when making a high hand but is considered low when a low hand is needed), and Straights and Flushes are not regarded as low hands.
According to the above, the best hand in Omaha is 5-4-3-2-Ace. Remember, the Straight does not count. Even if all five cards are of the same suit (for example, all Hearts), and the Flush doesn't count, it's the perfect low hand in Omaha poker. Whatever happens, remember that any Pair counts. So Ace, 2, 2, 4, 5, in this case, is not considered a "low" combination. The seniority of two Lo-combinations is determined by the highest cards in them. The lower it is in rank, the stronger the combination is. If the High Cards in combinations are of the same rank, then the next ones are compared in order of seniority, and so on.
If no player has a low combination, the player with the highest hand wins the entire pot. Otherwise, the winners with high and low hands split the pot. There are times when one player wins both combinations at the same time. First of all, each player creates a high hand, then a low hand (if possible) - and when the players reveal their cards, the winner of the high hand is determined first, then the winner of the low hand goes.
How to play Omaha Hi/Lo?
The game is identical to Texas Hold'em, with one difference: after the players show their cards, the pot is divided into High Pot and Low Pot for high and low combinations. Each player must make a separate 5-card combination for the Low hand, i.e., the lowest one, and another combination for the High hand. Winnings are divided accordingly. If none of the players collected the lowest combination, the entire pot goes to the player with the highest combination. If one player wins a high and a low combination, the entire pot also goes to them.
Omaha Hi/Lo Strategies
Unlike Texas Hold'em, players are given four cards to play. For those who do not have at least a basic strategy for playing Omaha Hi/Lo, this game can be very costly, and this is especially true when fewer players fold cards at the beginning of the game. Further, you will understand why.
Omaha Hi/Lo (8 or better) Strategy - remember, 2+3
In order to correctly calculate the value of possible combinations, always remember that only two cards out of 4 that you have in your hand and three cards on the table participate in one combination. This is extremely important when determining your potential combination. If you do not pay attention to this at the beginning of the game, your combination may seem higher than it actually is. Therefore, when compiling the lowest Low combination, always remember two basic rules: 1. Don't allow pair cards in your combination 2. The value of cards in a combination must not exceed 8
Omaha Hi/Lo (8 or better) Strategy - Nuts Low
A "Nuts Low" hand means you've hit the best possible low combination. Novice players may not be able to spot this right away; however, it is pretty easy and important for winning in Omaha Hi/Lo. The easiest way to recognize Nuts Low is 2+3, remember! If two cards out of 4 turned out to be an Ace and a 2, you have a combination of "Nuts Low".
Then there are three more community cards, an 8 or a card below it, without a pair; they will be added to your Ace and 2, and thus create the lowest possible hand. Another possible favorable scenario for you is 2 and 3 with an Ace on the board. Since two more community cards will be added during the game, an 8 or lower card without a pair, you have "Nuts Low". In this case, it is recommended to bet high because, in the worst case, you will share a low pot with other players and will not lose!
Omaha Hi/Lo (8 or better) Strategy - Nuts Flush
As you must have guessed, the highest possible combination of the Nuts Flush is the Flush. Players must identify the Nuts Flush in order to gain an advantage over the winning pot.
Cards dealt: 2 of Clubs - Ace of Clubs Community cards: Queen of Clubs - 9 Clubs - 7 Clubs.
Since there is a good chance that most players will have a Heart Flush, you know that you have the highest possible Flush, the Nuts Flush. Knowing this combination will improve your position in the game and help you correctly determine further bets.
Omaha Hi/Lo (8 or better) Strategy - your chances against your opponent's ones
You should be able to determine your opponent's best possible combination and whether there are three cards of the same suit on the table. Most likely, at least one of the opponents has a Flush. If you know for sure that you won't be able to beat the Flush - fold. If there is an easy Straight on the board, such as 3-4-6-8-9, it's better if you have a Straight or an opportunity to beat it; otherwise, it's better to fold again.
In the above 3-4-6-8-9 example, there are five ways to make a Straight with 2 dealt (hole) cards and 3 community cards: 2-3-4-5-6, 3-4-5-6-7, 4-5-6-7-8, 5-6-7-8-9, and 6-7-8-9-10. Of course, this is an incomprehensible representation of the community cards, but it shows how carefully the player must observe the cards and guess their opponents.
Omaha Hi/Lo (8 or better) Strategy - Winning Hands
Since the game offers a fairly large selection of winning combinations, get ready for the fact that there will be many more of them than in Texas Hold'em. So be sure to pay attention to the fact that a Pair or 3 identical cards (Three of a Kind) win extremely rarely in Omaha poker.
Common Mistakes in Omaha
Players make mistakes during the selection of the initial hand. Players who started poker with Texas Hold'em tend to overvalue High Cards when playing Omaha poker.
A pair of Aces is a good hand on pre-flop, but such a combination often turns out to be a losing hand when no other Ace comes on the flop.
Another common mistake novice players make is rashly increasing the bet in case of a high Pair after the hand. Such actions are often easily predicted by experienced players who often compare the bet in anticipation of a good card during the Flop.
Also, inexperienced players tend to bluff, which is regarded as a typical mistake of beginner Omaha players. Moreover, such a mistake can be fatal when most players call with the one who is bluffing, and the bluff is ineffective. Therefore, at first, when playing Omaha Hi/Lo, until you feel confident enough in the intended strategy, we strongly recommend that you stop bluffing and save your reputation.
When switching from Texas Hold'em to Omaha, players who are used to playing traditional Hold'em will quickly realize that it's essentially a game with the same bets but a bigger pot.
If in Texas Hold'em, most of the players often fold even during the pre-flop, then in Omaha Hi/Lo with 4 dealt (pocket) cards, few people want to just watch the game by folding their cards on the first hand.
Another common Omaha mistake is not folding the Nuts (the highest combination at the time of betting) on the flop. Let's say you hit a high Straight with an Ace on the flop. Players raise their bets until it's your time to make a move. When it's clear that players are betting rather than waiting for a Flush, it's better to fold and wait for a better chance.
What is the Bank Limit?
This kind of Omaha poker is also called Pot Limit (Pl). It means that any bet and increase during the game always equals the size of the pot. Simply put, the size of the pot is the limit at the time of betting. In the first round, the maximum bet must be equal to the sum of the Small and Big Blinds. For example, in a game with a betting limit of ₽10/20, the maximum first bet cannot exceed the sum of blinds, in our case ₽30. So the next player can either equalize the bet of ₽30 or increase it to ₽60.