Heads Up Omaha Strategy

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Omaha Hi Lo Heads Up Strategy
Heads Up Omaha Strategy
Heads Up Omaha Strategy Guide

You will come across many references to the importance of ‘scooping’ in Omaha Hi-Lo, this article takes things one step further by explaining exactly why this is a critical strategy for the split-pot Omaha poker games – and then showing you the best way to go about scooping your opponents.

Scooping refers to taking both the high and the low sides of the pot at showdown in PLO8 games. The best way to look at the importance of this is to turn things around, and ask what kind of profits you can expect from taking only half of the pot at a time?

Every hand played during heads up at the end of a 2 table NLO8 SNG - with analysis.

Firstly, take a heads-up pot, here your profit for winning either the high or low sides is the ‘dead money’ from other players who have folded at various points throughout the hand, this is often a small proportion – say 10% to 20% of the total pot size. Heads Up Omaha Strategy As the popularity of Omaha poker grows so does the number of heads-up Omaha poker games available. The most common form is Pot-Limit Omaha, where bet sizes can be anything up to the size of the current pot. Fixed Limit Omaha heads-up.

Firstly, take a heads-up pot, here your profit for winning either the high or low sides is the ‘dead money’ from other players who have folded at various points throughout the hand, this is often a small proportion – say 10% to 20% of the total pot size. After rake you are lucky to get the full 5% to 10%, and importantly you had to risk you stack to get this.

Obviously, multi-way pots make winning half worthwhile… but not by as much as you think! What we need to account for is the risk of being ‘quartered’ for the low pot on some occasions when playing multi-way. For example winning half of a pot which 3 players each contributed $10 will give you a profit of $5 each time. Now, being quartered just 20% of the time makes a big difference – 4 times out of 5 you win $5 for a profit of $20. Yet 1 time you lose $7.50 meaning your average profit for all the hands is just $2.50… best not to even think of a 10% chance of losing both sides of the pot.

The key point is that profits from winning half the pot will be small, in order to make a good profit in Omaha Hi-Lo you need to scoop the occasional pot!

Well, that was the why… now onto the how! This section is divided into 2, before the flop and after the flop – those critical decision points in this entertaining game.

The single most important decision you will make in Omaha 8 or better is whether or not to enter a pot in the first place. Being selective with Omaha hi-lo starting hands is important – but more important still is choosing those starting hands with potential to scoop the whole pot. The single most common reason for losing money in this game is seeing a flop with those ‘speculative’ hands because it is cheap to do so… discipline in choosing those hands with both nut high and nut low potential is key.

High only hands can of course scoop a pot where there is no qualifying low hand. This will happen approximately 30% of the time – meaning high hands do have a role to play in this game. The problem that most inexperienced players face here is that adding the high hands to your starting requirements simply means you are playing far too many hands overall… stick to the real monsters when going high-only (in particular from later position) and be prepared to release your hand quickly should there be low hands possible on the flop (unless you flop the stone cold nuts as a high hand!).

After the flop scooping involves being aware of the type of hands your opponents are playing and ensuring that any draws you play are to the nuts. Suited aces with other low cards are considered premium hands in Omaha 8-or better because they are likely to be drawing to both sides of the pot when they hit. You will be very unlikely to do any scooping when drawing to 2 non-nut hands – and may in fact end up losing both sides of the pot. If you flop the nut high and have a draw to a low then play this very aggressively (particularly if there are no re-draws to stronger high hands).

If you flop the nut low you need to be cautious that one or more opponents do not have the same cards (particularly when you hold A-2-X-X). If you have high potential such as the nut flush and / or backup in the form of another baby card then aggression will show a profit over time.

Of course, scooping a pot is much easier when you are facing bad opponents who are likely to draw to second (or even third) best hands. If you are not yet sure where to find the PLO8 fish (and avoid the sharks!!) then check out our guide to the Best Site For Omaha 8b Hi-Lo Poker!

888poker

We're very excited that Omaha has finally been added to the new 888poker mobile app. The mobile app was already 'Made to Play' offering a new portrait mode, smooth multi-tabling, and an unprecedented level of customization.

To celebrate this latest update, Team 888's Vivian Saliba has recorded a video with her top tips to this 'simple game.'

Very Simple Game

Saliba says that Omaha or Pot-Limit Omaha is a 'very simple game,' as instead of two cards, you receive four cards. However, the difference is that you must use two cards from your hand.

'In PLO, bets and raises are limited to how much is in the pot'

'I've been playing PLO for the last nine years. Personally, I love to play PLO - it's my favourite game. There is so much fun, you have double the cards - so double the fun!'

OMAHA #### has finally gone mobile # on the new 888poker #MadeToPlay App!

— 888poker (@888poker)

Saliba's Top Tips

1. Play Connected Cards

Saliba explains that in general, a more connected hand will play better in Omaha. That means that a hand like is worse than because of the straights and flushes the second hand can create.

Double-suited cards are also good for aiming at flush draws.

2. Play Fewer Hands

Although players may be excited to have so many cards in their hands, and therefore seemingly so many options, Saliba says that it's important to play tight preflop to ensure you're putting yourself in a position to make as strong a hand as possible.

Related: 888poker Giving Away $100,000 in 24/7 Freeroll Festival All This Month

3. Focus on Making the Nuts

Just because you have a strong hand pre-flop - maybe pocket kings or something similar - don't fall into the trap of overestimating these high cards or big hands.

A lot of Omaha play comes down to post-flop. Only if you're playing heads-up or with fewer tables, then you can think about widening your range.

4. Bluff with Blockers

Although it's important to play fewer hands and focus on making the nuts like the previous points, because there are so many cards in play it's important to pay attention to potential blockers in your hands.

For example, if the board has four spades but you hold the then you hold the nut-flush blocker. Watch out for these good bluffing opportunities should the occasion arise.

5. Double-check your hand.

Omaha Hi Lo Heads Up Strategy

You don't want to get to the river and have an unexpected surprise! Don't be afraid to double-check your hand - whether you're playing live or on the 888poker mobile app - just to make sure you have what you think you have

How to Download the 888poker Mobile App