Low-Hand Raising Strategy in Omaha Poker

A poor raising strategy in Omaha poker is using a low hand. This low-hand strategy which many Omaha poker players surprisingly do is a tactic we must beware of.

It's sad but it's true. Many weak Omaha players dare raise with mere 2 and 3 draw hand when the flop is AJ8. After the daring raise we see them waiting and watching on the river or on the river as they try to make out something of their hand.

When finally they make out something substantial with their hand they cease from their aggressive raise and decide to call all the way. The 2 and 3 hand being folded is only but apt and proper, but betting on it and raising? But many Omaha experts who are of a different opinion think that not raising with low hands is uncalled for. They even say that not doing so may lead players into losing much. Not raising with lows, they say, gets them in danger of being quartered.

When we're talking of limit Omaha hi-lo the condition of being quartered is not really that important. But when we're playing heads-up being quartered may be a thing to seriously consider. And this is different from pot limits. Playing at a $10/20 table, for instance, and the bets are limited every street we may place a bet of $240 in the pot, we may make three raises. That totals to a $-720 pot. A fourth of that makes $180. Hence, the worse scenario here is getting beat on 3 huge bets when being quartered.

Generally, betting is not limited per single street, and the pot is likely to take in inactive funds coming from opponents or from players on the blind. Hence, we should be wary of quartered positions in Omaha and issue bets on this consideration. Though many Omaha poker players are fond of quartered positions, this costs them much.

The better option is to prefer 75 percent or three-fourths, and we try to figure out ways to get this. Like raising all the way if we have a nut low plus something high. We need little help from a hand like an AK here. River raises that get us quartered may cost us less when it involves three-way pots, but winning a pot 75 percent using a high hand makes us win big with our raises.

Low-hand raising strategy in Omaha poker is a bad idea. But we may consider it with a high hand and aim for three-fourths of the pot.