Players will often say that Omaha Hi / Lo for online poker is a tough game to play because the amount of split pots will have you losing money in the long run because of rake. How this is correct is identified by how bad the player really is, either by playing bad cards or not having the courage to play a big pot.
Since we are talking about Rake, we are talking about the cash table
playing Omaha Hi/Lo (from this point we will call it Omaha 8b)
There are TWO fundamental rules to beating the rake in Omaha 8b….
Scooping the Pot
Winning the high and the low is the easiest way to not split a pot, although not as easy as it seems but most of us still dream at night so why not live in that dream. What I mean is we always want Aces in Holdem and can usually take down an all-in and win a hand with them, it is the most favorable hand after all.
(please no comments about getting aces cracked)
I’ve found the hands with wheel draws usually scoop best, after all the odds are in the favor the board will have more low cards then high cards. Here are some numbers.
Ace-8=32 cards vs 9-King=24 cards ( (57% vs 43%) )
There are two big hands when talking about Omaha 8b
AA23 and AAK2 which is better? The answer is AA23.
Also remember the pot can be “scooped” if there is no low and you win the high.
It is not called a scoop, because no hand qualifies for it.
It is very often you will find players betting and raising when only playing for a low which is a leak in their game simply because of the times they quarter the pot (splitting the split pot with an equal low) which does happen more often then splitting the high. Anytime you split pots your losing to the rake unless….
Big Pots with Big Courage
I’ve been known to get involved in a big pre flop raise wars with sub par hands when playing Omaha 8b, which shouldn’t surprise you to much considering I do play 72o in Holdem, and if you didn’t know shame on you for not reading my blog.
The problem with winning a big pot is sharing it with 1 person, but splitting a pot that had more then you and one other player gives you money and thus beating the rake. If you are able to scoop the big pot then you are very far ahead of beating the rake.
If you do scoop the pot and become a commanding chip leader at the table you are now in a position to throw around your weight using your deepstack, basically you are free rolling on draws.
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Txs for this article.. I know my poker friends and you too I believe say that if you want to get some nice cash into your bankroll or on a table play omaha hi/low.. It’s great when you can scoop the pot and get it all. Nice that you have someone along for the ride and you take it down!! They’re increasing your stack..even if youhave to split you have a poker friend along for the chip up ride…
I am guilty of playing either one or the other Hi/low.. But I am learning..
plug the leaks..bet for the scoop… I have a little trouble with the visualizing in Omahaha but Im getting better..
Omaha is a tough game for me. I often feel like I have the best hand going in and in an instant I have nothing. That and I sometimes forget about the lo, I get focused on the high and then when the pot gets split I think what? then ohhh ya, the lo.
Something else I don’t always think about is rake. I know I should but I am still learning.
Thanks for info, I need all the help I can get with Omaha.
Omaha is fun game to play too
you get some crazy hands and seldom card dead
if your an action junkie Omaha is the game