Omaha Hi/Lo

[GlasgowBandit]

Just recently started messing about with this game, and doing not too bad in small cash games.  Also in tourneys I seem to hold my own but notice half the field scoot away into massive chips and I am left on average but can't seem to catch up.

I have tried to vary my play but more often than not it seems easier to play for a low hand as a lot of folk I have seen tend to forget about this>

my question is what are you starting hand requirements or are you happy to limp most pots with speculative cards and see what comes?

[ifm]

I only limp with big pairs or decent low (A3), raise always with A2.
That's pretty much it.
Just try to make sure you have some sort of low drawing hand with any pairs.

[M3boy]

You will find that playing the lower limit tourneys probably 80% have no idea how to play and you will get called with all kinds of rubbish.

Classic example yesterday, half way through the tourney and I get AA23 in 1st position. Now the table is crazy so I pot it, knowing I am getting re raised. Sure enough it was re raised so I then move all in and get called.

What by?

Well he had 10 10 5 5 !

Worse thing is, not 5 minutes before, he was having a go at others saying "they had no idea how to play"

I dont need to tell you he hit a 5 and there was no low

[boldie]

I only limp with big pairs or decent low (A3), raise always with A2.
That's pretty much it.
Just try to make sure you have some sort of low drawing hand with any pairs.

yeah I agree...I hate O hi/lo...it is a truly horrible game (for me). I did find supersystem 2 a big help on it but it's still damn tricky. I therefore essentially play supersystem 2 hands..and only mix it up every now and again incase people see me only play supersystem 2 hands lol

[snoopy1239]

Just recently started messing about with this game, and doing not too bad in small cash games.  Also in tourneys I seem to hold my own but notice half the field scoot away into massive chips and I am left on average but can't seem to catch up.

I have tried to vary my play but more often than not it seems easier to play for a low hand as a lot of folk I have seen tend to forget about this>

my question is what are you starting hand requirements or are you happy to limp most pots with speculative cards and see what comes?

In these torunaments, the standard is pretty bad, so just play hands like A-2-x-x, A-3-x-x, A-A-x-x, perhaps the odd set of big cards for when no low hits the board, but there really is no real need to be too flamboyant. Stay away from middling cards as if you hit your high, there will also be a low on the board, therefore meaning that you'll only ever win a half of the pot. Play hands which will win you the WHOLE pot if they hit.

[GlasgowBandit]

Thanks for the replies guys, especially Snoops and M3Boy.  I agree with you two about these small buy in tourneys the standard is fairly poor. However as I am only learning the game I don't want to get out my depth too early and will try picking up a fairly decent understanding before I venture into any the other games.  SO far I got to admit though I much prefer playing PL in t his game to NL.

[NoflopsHomer]

I actually don't see the point in raising A2. Surely you want as many people in the pot as you can?

[londonpokergirl]

I play a lot of NL omaha hi/lo on full tilt and have to say i'll limp with a lot of hands
if i get a246 or a346 or aa35 is only then i may tickle a raise but don't raise a lot because
you'll never push off hands they're always getting odds to call regardless
and watch out for getting 1/4'd with somebody who's got same low

always best to aim for the nut nut  

[snoopy1239]

I actually don't see the point in raising A2. Surely you want as many people in the pot as you can?

the idea is to limp in early position and raise in late

[ifm]

they all call anway, may as well raise in any position

[thetank]

The main difference I find is that in a holdem tournament, you don't really want huge multi-way pots. In O8, the more callers the better.

[Royal Flush]

The main difference I find is that in a holdem tournament, you don't really want huge multi-way pots. In O8, the more callers the better.

Thats the main diffrence, the big starting hands wants big action, opposite of HE. So if you have a great hand in early only raise if its a lose game, you want to be multiway. That is why position in O/8 is so damn important.

[JungleCat03]

Here's some thoughts i have about om/8 for what it's worth.

i like raising with decent starting hands, often with small, pot building raises, ready to pump it when i connect with a good flop ( you won't have trouble finding action.) Like flushie says position is very important as you can exercise potsize control much more easily. It's rare i like to get all my chips in preflop whilst we are deep as such huge edges can be created on the flop.

 Don't get over aggressive with one way draws.

 Remember that if you only have a high hand for instance a 9 hi straight and no low and there are 3 low cards out there, you may well be getting freerolled against by someone wiht a low & flush draw or low and 2 pair etc. For this reason, as snoopy pointed out it is always a good idea to have hands that work both ways.

I personally think middle cards are dire as when you make straights with them there's nearly always a low out there or you have the idiot end so its hard to scoop/ value bet correctly when you have the best hand. Hands with big pairs in them such as KK QQ also tend to be overated when they are not coordinated with a low draw or strong high cards and if you play these hands, play them for cheap set value on the whole.

Start to learn to recognise situations where you may be getting freerolled / you are getting 1/4'ed (or worse!) and you'll save a lot of money. Beware of pumping jsut the nut low multiway, but always be ready to put a good value bet/ bluff in if you beleive you are the only one with a hand working one particular way and you want to force out better lows or better highs. (The bluff with the nut low tends to work better heads up and the value bet with the nut low better when you are in position multiway)

Plenty of tournament strategy skills are transferable from nl holdem to pl om/8 such as widening your hand range and aggression around the bubble, stack targeting etc.

When you are bluffing at pots to take them down, flops with 2 /3 high cards are better flops to bluff at as it is less likely to have connected with players' hand ranges (this it more true of people who choose solid hand starters obviously)

good luck