In this lesson we’re going to take a look at three groups of Omaha/8 starting hands and assess what represent real powerhouse starting hands. We’ll also examine some good Omaha/8 starting hands along with hands that are playable but where some degree of caution should be exercised. Low hands in poker can often be confusing for newcomers to the game. Indeed, even experienced players make mistakes reading the low board from time to time.

Unlike single table tournaments, pot limit Omaha eight multi table tournaments usually allow players enough time to play closer to correct strategy. Because of this, these tournaments also reward better players more often. So the basic strategy is much the same as solid pot limit Omaha ring game strategy.

PLO8 is a split-pot game meaning you can win with both a high and a low hand. Half the pot is awarded to the low hand and half to the high. You secure the entire pot if there is no possible high or low hand. At least three cards eight or lower have to be on the board for a low to be possible. The high-low split pot version of Omaha is a fun and exciting game, which we will refer to as Omaha/8. It is typically played as a fixed-limit game, but the pot-limit variety (known by the abbreviation PLO/8) is also popular, particularly online. PLO8 Poker Strategy The Principals Behind Beating PLO8 Games Split pot poker games add a whole new element to your strategy. With the 4 hole-cards used in Omaha games, there are plenty of opportunities to make better decision making get you the profits over time.

Especially early in the tournament, before the blinds become larger in proportion to the average player stack, you should play very tight. Only play your strongest hands and fold anything that doesn’t improve on the flop. Though they may not seem like many chips, any chip you can save early in the tournament may be the one that allows you to win the tournament later. I usually only play hands with scoop potential in the early stages. Strong high only hands and strong high hands with A 2, or maybe A 3 if the Ace is suited.

The idea in the early stages is to only enter the pot when you have a good chance to greatly increase your chip stack. While winning a few small pots is important, it is rarely worth the chips you must risk in order to win them at this stage.

As the tournament progresses into the middle stages, depending on your chip stack, it is usually correct to start playing a few more hands, particularly against smaller chip stacks. This often lets you play quite aggressively and win a few pots without having to show down your hand at the end. By this time you should also have an idea of a few of your opponents playing tendencies. Always watch for chances to use these tendencies against them.

In the middle stages, you need to start thinking about compiling enough chips to put yourself into position to win the tournament. When you are short stacked, you will need to take a few more chances, trying to get all in with your best hands pre flop. On the other hand, when you have a large stack, look for opportunities to use it to your advantage against the smaller stacks. This is much like play in no limit Texas holdem during these rounds.

In the late rounds of pot limit Omaha high low multi table tournaments, it is very important to play your best hands aggressively before the flop. As the tournament progresses, many hands will be won uncontested pre flop.

One other point that needs addressed is the difference between no limit and pot limit. In no limit, you can go all in at any time. In pot limit, you will often have to build a pot in order to get all in or to get one of your opponents all in. This requires a slightly different thought process early in the hand. Recognize this and use it to your advantage.

As in any no limit or pot limit tournament, you must play to 100% of your ability on every hand. One mistake can end your tournament; so don’t let a mistake knock you out. When you get to the point where only bad beats do you in, you will be finishing toward the top of tournaments in no time.

Late on Day 2 of Event #31: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low at the 2015 World Series of Poker, Jeff Madsen had a solid stack with three tables remaining in the tournament. Madsen was already a man with pot-limit Omaha Hi-Low (PLO8) credentials. Just a year ago he made his way to the final table of a $1,500 PLO Hi-Low event right here at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, where he finished fourth for $76,150.

During a break in play Madsen agreed to talk strategy and give us some PLO8 tournament pointers. As it happened, he went on to take down the tournament for his fourth gold bracelet and a $301,413 first prize.

Plo8 Solver

Here’s the advice Madsen shared with us regarding this increasingly popular tournament variant.

PokerNews: This is your second straight year making a deep run in a PLO8 tournament here. What do you think makes you so successful in this game?

Jeff Madsen: I play a lot of mixed cash games and a lot of limit Omaha hi-low. That translates to me understanding hand ranges and stuff like that.

Many of our readers probably have experience with fixed-limit Omaha hi-low. How does the way you approach the game change when it becomes pot-limit?

When you add pot-limit, position’s really important. You want to play two-way hands. You don’t want to get in huge preflop spots with a one-way hand like . I’m happy to limp with these hands and try to trap someone so I’m freerolling. You want to know the spots where you might be getting quartered and keep the pot small.

So your approach to playing those hands changes?

Just because you have , it’s not like you should get all your chips in if you flop the nut low [in PLO8]. Sometimes with the nuts, you should play it kind of slow because you could be getting freerolled, especially multi-way. You want to lock up spots where you’re quartering someone.

Usually you don’t want to build the pot and then fold it, but you have to be careful. It’s a strong hand if you have top pair or the nut flush draw to go with it. Those are the hands you can be aggressive with.

What are you looking for as far as starting hand selection goes in PLO8?

The hand values are close preflop. When you see someone repotting a lot preflop, it’s usually aces. You’re playing ace-twos, nut flush draws, ace-three suiteds. Look for hands that play well postflop.

with no suits doesn’t play very well, but a hand like or double-suited is fine because they’re two way hands.

What’s one of the most common mistakes you see players in these PLO8 tournaments making?

Position is really important. They should fold more hands in early position, where you want to play pretty tight. You have to fold a lot of hands that have equity, but you’re out of position and you have to hit a perfect flop.

For players transitioning from PLO8 cash games to tournaments, what’s an adjustment they need to make?

Plo8

Stack sizes are way more important. You have to get your stack in more, so you have to manage your stack size. There are a lot of spots where you pot it to commit yourself. In a cash game it’s deeper, so there are more multi-way pots.

In other words, you want to play hands that stronger heads-up?

Yeah. If you can get it heads-up, you can push your smaller edges and not have to be nut-nutted.

Thanks to Jeff Madsen for taking the time to talk PLO8 strategy with us, and congratulations as well to him for earning his fourth WSOP bracelet. Listen to Madsen discuss further his victory in Event #31 on Wednesday’s episode of the PokerNews Podcast by clicking here.

Plo8 Tournament Strategy

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  tournament strategypot-limit Omaha hi-lowPLO8mixed gamesJeff Madsen2015 WSOPWorld Series of Poker

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