Omaha Hi Lo,
Bluffing
May 6 2008
The game of Omaha Hi-Lo Split, or Omaha 8 as it’s also known, has very little bluffing involved. The game has so much action, and there are so many cards in play, that to bluff would be downright stupid most times because someone almost always has the nuts. The added complication that someone would call your bluff for half of the pot makes bluffing an even riskier play. There is really only one type of situation where a bluff could work for you. A lot of things have to have occurred, and not occurred, for it to work. Here is an example of one of those situations.
Let’s say you have a hand like 6-Q-5-J and the flop is 9-7-3.
You have outs to a high straight and should be betting with this hand. If you get callers and cards like 10-J or K-J come off on the turn and river, you may be able to make a bluff at the pot. The bluff could work because your opponents may have been drawing to the low hand, which obviously didn’t come. Unless your opponents have K-10, and only K-10, they will fold to what they will expect to be the nut-high hand.
The only other time you will achieve some success bluffing in Omaha Hi-Lo Split is early in a hand against one or two players. If you have position on them and a flop with two or preferably three big cards, you could bet out hoping that they wanted a low flop. Otherwise, stick to making sure you have good draw odds and bet with the lead in this game. Bluffing opportunities are very rare.
Learn more about Omaha Hi-Lo and other poker games in our step-by-step
Poker Guide.
