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Omaha high low strategy
You could easily bite off more than you could chew writing a strategy article on omaha high low. For all the articles there are on holdem strategy, you could create double for omaha hi low. The aim here though is to give you the most basic easy to follow information that will get you started and still give you a great chance of winning at hi-lo.
The beauty of omaha high low is that even though you could spend years perfecting your game, it's still possible to make money online with the rudiments of starting hand knowledge. In fact, playing omaha high low correctly is a great way to make money in online low stakes games.
Before we start though, you'll need to know some basic omaha high low terms.
If you currently play texas holdem and want to make the switch to omaha high low, then you'll need to lose any inclination you have to see cheap flops. And if you're a player who likes to bluff, then you'll have to give that up too [but not entirely ;) ]
Omaha high low starting cards:
In omaha high low, your starting cards are king. In holdem you can limp in with a bad hand, get lucky and take the pot. This is not the case with hi/low. With 9 cards to chose from and two winning hands to make the possibilities seem endless and you may be tempted to go in with so so cards.
Don't!
With more cards, the chances of someone else hitting an amazing high hand are higher than in holdem, so starting off with so so cards is just throwing money away.
You are looking for cards that work together to form a straight, flush or full house. Aces are best for low hand wins
Starting cards you should never play in omaha high low:
Any value quads (eg 2222) this includes quad aces. Remember you'll only be able to use two of them and the chances of a pair of aces winning the high hand are slim. This is not holdem!
Any value trips with the exception of trip aces with two or three and trip twos with an ace. Any higher than this you should discard. Remember you cannot have pairs or more in the omaha low hand and the chances of you hitting the last king (or whatever) on the board to make trip kings is pretty slim and it would likely be beaten anyway.
Playable starting hands in omaha high low:
AA23 is considered the best starting hand, but beware as this doesn't have the same power are AA in texas holdem, so it would still be unwise to go in all guns blazing with this hand.
A2XX You can play Ace two and any other two cards.
A3XXlow. You can play Ace 3 and any other two cards provided they are low.
AAXX You can play an ace pair combined with any two low cards
Ace trips with a two or 3 (AAA2, or AAA3)
When your starting cards are also suited or double suited then you can relax your criteria slightly, for example if you have a pair of aces and two high double suited cards, they would be ok to play.
General tips
In most situations, avoid playing middle cards unless they are combined with Ace 2 as any straight you make will likely be bettered by another player who can make the higher straight. They will also be no use for the low hand (remember it needs to be make with value 8 card or lower). Chances are if you have a 7 or 8 high low hand you'll be beaten by someone else.
Alway keep in mind you are trying to scoop the pot unless there is no chance of making a low hand from the flop. In this case bet if you feel you have the nuts for the high hand.
The most important thing is to take your time and evaluate you hands chances. It's far easier to get things wrong in omaha high low than in holdem. Good hands are far more common than in holdem.
If you have a great low hand but no high, then be wary. You could end up being quartered and lose money even though you've won.
You need to bluff far less than in holdem. Chances are your bluff will be called as a number of players will be of the opinion that they have a winning hand, either for the high, the low hand or both. Beware semi bluffs also, those players who have marginal hands can have great hands after the river, especially with the high hands.
So thats it, a basic introduction to omaha high low strategy. What it all boils down to is playing starting hands frugally and taking care when betting. Follow these rules and you can make money online. There are so many players who play omaha high low too loosely online that when you do get a hand you can bet big and expect to be called.
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