Omaha Hi Low (Hi-Lo). The Strategies
Some general advice on playing Omaha Hi Low
Remember, you play in order to take away the bank. Therefore, if you have no undoubtedly advantageous senior hand after a flop and you will probably have to share the bank with someone’s junior hand, you should play check or fold and soon leave the game. The same can happen when you play the junior hand and you have no suitable combination to make the senior one.
While playing Omaha Hi Low one should often play a slow game. It is very difficult to get rid of the players in Omaha poker, and early raises are quite risky unless you are sure of your winning.
Don’t rely on the combinations of the middle cards of one suit, for instance, such hand as the eight and the nine of hearts is very promising in Holdem and Omaha Hi Low. Still it doesn’t suit for Hi Low poker, as in order to make a street for a senior card you will need the cards which can also be used to make the junior hand.
Don’t bet too much on A2, A3 and 2 3 junior cards. They are often used by several players and you will possibly get only ? of the bank. In other words, if the junior hand is made by several players at a time and the senior hand by one more player, then the senior hand will get half of the bank and the rest of the bank will be shared among junior hands. You would rather play check when there are three or more players with similar senior or junior combinations.
Keep a watchful eye on the following common cards. For example, 8 7 6 can easily form a street that will beat your senior pair, three or any other good combination.
One can come across the same situation dealing with the cards of one suit, which may form Flush. In this case, I would advise you to have a card of this suit, or at least three or two pairs.
Check up the cash in hand of those who raise bets. The bets close to all-in made by players aren’t always justified. They make them basing on the principle “neck or nothing”.
Come to know your rivals, especially when you don’t take part in the game and you can give more consideration to this. Pay attention to the frequency of playing hands, folding cards, bluffing or to the moments when the bluff is turned to them. See if there is something in their behavior prompting what combination they have, etc.
Use the bluff from time to time. It will vary your game and allow you not to be too predictable. You may win banks with the worst cards if your bluff works. You may also lose a few chips when you are exposed, but this may be of use when you have a good combination, while the other players will admit your bets supposing you are bluffing. But you shouldn’t bluff too often. Such a manner of playing will be quickly unmasked by good players.
Pay much attention to your cards. In Omaha Hi Low beginners often think they have the best combination while they don’t really have it. And just the other way round, they don’t notice a “candy” in their hands. Be cautious in order to avoid such mistakes.