NEWBIES: heres how to read the low hands

[ADAMtheEXPERT]

Hello new omaha players, Adam here. Sometimes, I play a character called ADAMtheExpert. he's rather BRASS, and obnoxious, so I think we'll despense with ATE, for this article.

Anyway, I saw the question regarding a player who did not understand why his 23 was not the winning low.

First of all, to that person (and all others who feel silly about this) Understand, that this is a rather common problem with new, and even not-so-new players: SO DON'T FEEL BAD.

Fortunately, I am here to give a detailed, and easy-to-understand answer to this issue.


Ok, first off, remember that anytime you pair one of your hole cards, with a board card, IT AINT GOOD! If you do not have another low card in your hand, and you pair a whole card YOU WILL NEVER HAVE THE NUT LOW, UNLESS IT'S A WHEEL.

Ok, let's consider that rule number one, know it, learn it, live it.

Always, always remember, that the best low hand will consist of the two lowest cards, THAT ARE NOT ALREADY ON THE BOARD!

Ok, pretty simple, once you know the rule.

Let's go over some examples, so we can see it clearly.



Board: A 3 6 K 8 different suits

Now, since we have an ace on the board, the next lowest card in the deck, is of course a deuce (two) Ok, the trey (three) is also there, so the next lowest card, is the 4

Thus, the "nut" low, is a 2-4


board: A 2 3 6 7

Well, here we have the A23 there, so the best low is 4,5

Ok, here's where the tricky part begins. When there are four or more low cards on the board, the lows can be tricky to read, when you're new.


with the board of


A 2 4 6 9, notice how although 3,5 would be the best low, anyone having a 3 with an Ace, two, four or six, would have a "six four" low (which would be the second low, and would win low, if no one had the 3-5

Ok, now here's where some go astray. with the above board, anyone who had a 37 BUT NO A 2 4 OR 6 in there hand, would NOT have a "six four" but would have a "seven-four" low, and would NOT win, unless no one had a better low, which would be very very unlikely.

EVEN THOUGH THE OTHER PLAYERS COPIED (PAIRED) ONE OR MORE LOW CARDS IN THERE HAND, AND THIS PLAYER DID NOT PAIR ANY, the hands possessing a 3, with an A 2 4 or 6, would have a better low.

This is important to understand. Pairing low cards, does not mean that you dont' have ANY low, just not a very good one.


ok, hope this helps



Adam the helpful genius, and the TOTAL master in the subject of omaha.