Omaha eight or better (O8B) is the worlds second most popular poker game right now. One reason for this popularity is that you get four hole cards dealt to you instead of two which you get in hold 'em, therefore players find a lot more hands to play in O8B.
O8B is a high - low split game and as you can win both high and low, it can be the best game to play to get lucky for a while. One other reason why people love playing this game is that it seems no one has a perfect understanding of the proper playing strategy for it. Leading experts still to this day debate on how the game should be played with most having a different opinion from the other!
High - low split means that half the pot is awarded to the best high hand and half the pot is awarded to the best low hand, if there is one. The low has to be an eight low or lower to qualify, hence the name. If no low hand qualifies, the whole pot goes to the high hand.
This section will cover how to qualify a low hand, the importance of A-2 in your starting hand, the best starting hands, pre flop, 4th street and river theory for beginners.
Qualifying low hands for Omaha eight or better (high-low) split |
1. 5-4-3-2-A
2. 6-4-3-2-A
3. 6-5-3-2-A
4. 6-5-4-2-A
5. 6-5-4-3-A
6. 6-5-4-3-2
7. 7-4-3-2-A
8. 7-5-3-2-A
9. 7-5-4-2-A
10. 7-5-4-3-A
11. 7-5-4-3-2
12. 7-6-3-2-A
13. 7-6-4-2-A
14. 7-6-4-3-A
15. 7-6-4-3-2
16. 7-6-5-2-A
17. 7-6-5-3-A
18. 7-6-5-3-2
19. 7-6-5-4-A |
20. 7-6-5-4-2
21. 7-6-5-4-3
22. 8-4-3-2-A
23. 8-5-3-2-A
24. 8-5-4-2-A
25. 8-5-4-3-A
26. 8-5-4-3-2
27. 8-6-3-2-A
28. 8-6-4-2-A
29. 8-6-4-3-A
30. 8-6-4-3-2
31. 8-6-5-2-A
32. 8-6-5-3-A
33. 8-6-5-3-2
34. 8-6-5-4-A
35. 8-6-5-4-2
36. 8-6-5-4-3
37. 8-7-3-2-A
38. 8-7-4-2-A |
39. 8-7-4-3-A
40. 8-7-4-3-2
41. 8-7-5-2-A
42. 8-7-5-3-A
43. 8-7-5-3-2
44. 8-7-5-4-A
45. 8-7-5-4-2
46. 8-7-5-4-3
47. 8-7-6-2-A
48. 8-7-6-3-A
49. 8-7-6-3-2
50. 8-7-6-4-A
51. 8-7-6-4-2
52. 8-7-6-4-3
53. 8-7-6-5-A
54. 8-7-6-5-2
55. 8-7-6-5-3
56. 8-7-6-5-4
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 The chart above explains all the possible hands that qualify as a low hand in O8B. The bad news is that you need an eight low at least to qualify but the good thing is that straights and flushes do not count when qualifying for a low hand. The best possible low is 5-4-3-2-A, also known as a "wheel". It will also count as a straight for a high hand.
The qualifying low scenario sounds more confusing than it really is. If three unpaired cards 8 or under are on the board, then the best possible low is easy to figure out.
There are some situations where you want to stop betting and raising when you have the best possible low, mainly when there are three players left because there is a good chance that one of the opponents could have the same low as you. If this did happen, you would get quarter of the pot, known as "getting quartered", and thus you'll lose a small percentage of your own last bets and raises.
It is crucial to remember that you have to use exactly two hole cards from your hand along with three from the board to make your best possible 5 card hand. However, you may use two cards for high and two cards for low in the same hand. Of course, you may use the same two cards for high and low if you choose.
Some poker professionals believe that there is only one two-card combination you could hold in your hand that is so promising that you would not have to look at the other two hole cards before deciding what move move to make. This two card combination is A-2. Some believe that any two card A-2 combination is playable, regardless of the other two cards.
The importance of A-2 in your starting hand cannot be underestimated. The majority of low boards require that you have an A2 in your hand to make the nut low. When you hold these two starting cards, you're hoping to guarantee yourself half the pot by winning yourself the low side and hopefully to get lucky, and win the high side too.
The number 1 ranked starting hand in O8B is A-A-2-3, with the A-2 and A-3 pairs each of the same suit. Then A-A-2-3 with 1 suit paired is the next best. The reason it is the strongest hand is that firstly, your starting with the strongest pair (A-A), then the nut flush possibility and finally, you have three wheel cards to your possible straight and that offers the best low combination. With this hand there are so many great low possibilities plus great high oppertunities also.
Possibly the next best hand is A-A-2-4 followed by A-A-2-5 and so on down to A-A-2-K
Here is a list of the top ten premium hands in O8B along with other strong hands.
Premium and strong O8B Hands |
Premium hands
1. A-A-2-3
2. A-A-2-x
3. A-A-3-x
4. A-2-3-4
5. A-2-3-x (wins a piece of the pot more than 40% of the time)
6. A-2-K-K, A-2-Q-Q
7. A-3-4-5
8. A-A-4-5, A-A-x-x
9. A-2-Q-K, A-2-K-J and A-2-x-x
10. A-3-K-K |
Strong hands |
11. A-3-4-x
12. 2-3-4-5
13. J-Q-K-A
14. 10-J-Q-K
15. J-Q-K-K
16. 9-10-J-Q
17. 2-3-4-x
18. Any four cards between a 10 and an Ace |
That was possibly the best starting hands in 08B. Hands like Q-Q-K-K double suited are border line whether they should be played, some would some won't. Hands like 8-8-9-9 double suited may look nice but are not that effective, compared to the top hands at least. When you do flop a set with this hand, theres a good chance that it will not be the highest set available on the board. When there are overcards on the board, theres a big danger in O8B of an over set, so these hands could get you into trouble.
Click here for Pre flop, on the flop, 4th st and river strategy for beginners
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