How to Beat Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo Poker
With the popularity of Omaha hi-lo growing all the time, poker fans both live and online are finding that the 'split pot' version of Omaha poker requires some significant strategy adjustments compared with other forms of the game. At showdown the pot is divided between the best high poker hand and the best low hand - which should comprise of 5 different cards 8 or lower. This article gives you 5 strategy adjustments designed to help you profit from the pot-limit Omaha hi-lo games.
Tip #1 - Resist The Urge To Play Too Many Starting Hands!
New players to this game often play all of the 'high' hands they are used to and then add the low ones on top. This can be very costly in split pot poker - where the real premium hands are those which can win both sides of the pot at the same time. While high-only hands have their place these need to be very strong to both compensate for the times they miss and for the times they share the pot with a low.
Tip #2 - Drawing Only To The Nuts
In Omaha Hi-Lo paying off bets in the attempt to hit a hand which might not be the best at showdown is extremely dangerous, even more so when the best this hand could hope to achieve is to win half of the pot. Unless you are in an extremely wild game, drawing hands should always be trying to hit the best possible hand in either the high or low directions (and preferably both!). There is no need to get quartered in this game when the danger signs were available when the pot was still small.
Tip #3 - Be Aware Of Being Counterfeited.
Sometimes your strong-looking low hand will be ruined on the turn or the river. For example, if you are holding a hand containing ace and two and there is a four and five on the flop (along with a high card). Here you are drawing to the nut low, however, an ace on the turn means anyone holding a two or three along with another low card has a better hand - your ace-two just got counterfeited. Awareness that this can happen is a great start, we recommend not bluffing to try and rescue your hand in the low stakes games unless you have a very good reason to believe that your opponent will fold!
Tip #4 - Raising, Position And Balance
Poker basics are really important in Omaha hi-lo. Remember, if you are the one raising you have two ways of winning the pot (you can have the best hand, or your opponent can fold). If you only call then you will always need to show down a winner. Likewise, acting after your opponents gives you an advantage, you can get out cheaper when behind and build a big pot when ahead. The last poker basic is balance, if you only ever raise with ace-two hands then your opponents will catch on, if they know what you hold (or at least half of it) then it becomes easy to play against you, especially when the flop looks dangerous.
Tip #5 - Back To Starting Hands
Starting hand selection returns as the last tip, since this can now be framed in terms of the advice already given. There are certain hands which avoid some of the situations covered above and will keep new players out of trouble. These contain cards which offer protection against being counterfeited, draw to the nuts in both directions and make your action on the flop easy to decide. Nut low hands with aces and suits such as A-A-2-3 double suited are the real premium hands in this game, make sure you play them strongly.
With the popularity of Omaha hi-lo growing all the time, poker fans both live and online are finding that the 'split pot' version of Omaha poker requires some significant strategy adjustments compared with other forms of the game. At showdown the pot is divided between the best high poker hand and the best low hand - which should comprise of 5 different cards 8 or lower. This article gives you 5 strategy adjustments designed to help you profit from the pot-limit Omaha hi-lo games.
Tip #1 - Resist The Urge To Play Too Many Starting Hands!
New players to this game often play all of the 'high' hands they are used to and then add the low ones on top. This can be very costly in split pot poker - where the real premium hands are those which can win both sides of the pot at the same time. While high-only hands have their place these need to be very strong to both compensate for the times they miss and for the times they share the pot with a low.
Tip #2 - Drawing Only To The Nuts
In Omaha Hi-Lo paying off bets in the attempt to hit a hand which might not be the best at showdown is extremely dangerous, even more so when the best this hand could hope to achieve is to win half of the pot. Unless you are in an extremely wild game, drawing hands should always be trying to hit the best possible hand in either the high or low directions (and preferably both!). There is no need to get quartered in this game when the danger signs were available when the pot was still small.
Tip #3 - Be Aware Of Being Counterfeited.
Sometimes your strong-looking low hand will be ruined on the turn or the river. For example, if you are holding a hand containing ace and two and there is a four and five on the flop (along with a high card). Here you are drawing to the nut low, however, an ace on the turn means anyone holding a two or three along with another low card has a better hand - your ace-two just got counterfeited. Awareness that this can happen is a great start, we recommend not bluffing to try and rescue your hand in the low stakes games unless you have a very good reason to believe that your opponent will fold!
Tip #4 - Raising, Position And Balance
Poker basics are really important in Omaha hi-lo. Remember, if you are the one raising you have two ways of winning the pot (you can have the best hand, or your opponent can fold). If you only call then you will always need to show down a winner. Likewise, acting after your opponents gives you an advantage, you can get out cheaper when behind and build a big pot when ahead. The last poker basic is balance, if you only ever raise with ace-two hands then your opponents will catch on, if they know what you hold (or at least half of it) then it becomes easy to play against you, especially when the flop looks dangerous.
Tip #5 - Back To Starting Hands
Starting hand selection returns as the last tip, since this can now be framed in terms of the advice already given. There are certain hands which avoid some of the situations covered above and will keep new players out of trouble. These contain cards which offer protection against being counterfeited, draw to the nuts in both directions and make your action on the flop easy to decide. Nut low hands with aces and suits such as A-A-2-3 double suited are the real premium hands in this game, make sure you play them strongly.
