Omaha Hi Lo is the variant of poker which offers not one but two opportunities to win the pot in a single game. In this poker variant, a player plays for the high or the low pot of the game. He may even play to scoop the pot, i.e, to win both the pots – high and low. Though a skill game, there exist certain myths about Omaha Hi Lo, and believing them costs a player considerable amount of money. We will be debunking some of the myths of Omaha Hi Lo online card game.
Always Play Hands With Ace
While playing Omaha Hi Lo, you should not forget that its a four card game and not a two card game that you have been playing for so long. Like holding ace in Texas Hold’em poker is the finest thing, but it can prove to be the worst card for a Omaha player aiming for ‘lower’ 5-card combination. For instance, you are dealt A-8-4-4. You can make multiple combinations with this hand but if the flop dealt is ‘K-10-6’, you will find yourself in a position where you cannot fold without seeing the turn and river card.
Only Play High Hands
High hands look great, however, you are playing for both high and low in Omaha Hi Lo. Suppose you have a high hand, and are playing against two opponents. You are sure that one of them has a low hand, and are unsure about the other. In this case, if your high hand is not the nut, you will get the minimum value from the pot and even less if the pot gets split. Thus, you should not limit yourself to a high or low pot, and should not make yourself ‘open to attack’ to the other players.
Calling Bets On Future Odds
While playing Omaha Hi Lo, you will find players calling additional bets to turn the potential of their hand into nuts. Odds do exist in the game of poker but you should not chase a hand when you don’t have the odds at that very moment. This puts you in a troublesome situation wherein you will find yourself over-committed to the hand. So, if anytime your calling bets are based on future outcomes, just tighten up your starting hands. Do remember calling bets without odds will cost you more in the long run.
Keep Tabs on All the Outs
The best thing about Omaha Hi Lo is that you get to make plenty of combinations because you are playing for two- high and low – in a single game. Unlike Texas Holdem, you do not have to worry about the outs as you are not playing for the nuts. In such a situation, you will not be able to play either for high or low, and may end up splitting the pot with another opponent. So, make sure you are aware of your opponents moves and pay attention to only those outs that will result in nuts.
The best way to keep debunking myths is to play free poker and gradually move on to cash games. Do try the online tables and keep grinding!
