Reading the Board in Omaha Hi-Lo

Reading the Board in Omaha Hi-Lo
by Chad Holloway of Predictem.com

One of my favorite poker games to play is Omaha Hi-Lo. It took me a long while to learn the ins and outs of the game, and I am still learning new skills on a daily basis. With that said, I understand why some players are intimidated by the game. I have a tough time trying to draw new players to the game, mainly because they have difficulty trying to understand all the rules associated with both the high and low; however, I do have some good news. Learning how to play Omaha hi-lo is not as hard as it seems.

There are only a few crucial points to remember and the rest falls into the strategy category, which will develop and evolve as you gain more experience with the game.

For example, as in Pot-Limit Omaha, in hi-lo you need to use two, and only two, cards from your hand (the exception being that in hi-lo you get to use a two card combination for the high hand and a two card combination for a low hand as well). As far as the low hand goes, there must be three non-paired cards, eight or lower, on the board for there to be a qualifying low hand; on top of this, a player needs to use two cards from his hand that are eight or lower (and does not pair the board) to complete a low hand, for a low hand consisting of five cards eight or lower.

This means if the flop comes something like K-J-10, there is no chance that three of the cards will be eight or lower so there will not be a low hand. If the board does qualify for a low, then there is a good chance the pot will be split (there won't be a low hand if the board qualifies and no one has a total of five cards eight or lower). Knowing these few rules is all it takes to get started in Omaha hi-lo.

Granted, there are a lot of other factors (i.e. quality starting hands, strategy, opportunities) that are involved in the game, but in order to understand them you need to know the basics first.

Aside from knowing the few tips advocated here, you will want to avoid one crucial mistake that is made in Omaha hi-lo. In Championship Omaha, author T.J. Cloutier explains the mistake he sees most often:

"I've seen a great many low-limit players misread the board, especially in Omaha high-low. Novice players seem to get mixed up most often when a set comes on the board. They don't have a pair in their hand but they have an ace, and there's an ace on the board. They forget that they have to play two cards from their hand and that if they don't have a pair in their hand, they don't have a full house. Of all the mistakes I've seen people make in Omaha, that is the biggest one."

As you can see, this mistake, which one of the most experienced tournament poker players in the world observes regularly, can be avoided simply by remembering that you must use two cards from your hand when playing any Omaha variation. The various combinations the board produces is far and away the most confusing part about Omaha hi-lo, but by remembering the basic rules, taking your time, and carefully considering the hand, you can avoid becoming overwhelmed. If you do, I am sure you will find that you enjoy Omaha hi-lo as much as I do!

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