Starting Hands for Omaha Holdem

AA23 … AA2? … AA3? … A234 … A23? … A2KK … A2QQ … A345 … AA45 … AA?? … A2QK … A2KJ … A2?? … A3KK

  » The hands are more valuable if the cards represented by " ? " share a suit with one of the Aces.

By now you must be noticing something of a pattern - a commonality among all the best Omaha Hi/Low starters.

Aces: Paired Aces or an Ace with with a deuce, whether suited or not are the most desirable cards to start out with in Omaha Hi/Lo. The reason is this: The strongest hand likely to win the whole pot, be the best hi and best low hand, is a straight A-5. Naturally, the hands are stronger yet if they are suited.

Pretty much what you're looking for in Texas Holdem Staring Hands, High Pairs and Suited High Cards:

AA … KK … QQ … JJ … TT … AKs … AQs … AJs … A10s

Other playable Omaha High hands include:

• 2 pair: The higher rank the better
• 3 high cards with a suited dangler; that is, a hand such as: As Kc Jd 6S. The low dangler is suited with the Ace, making a nut flush possible.
• Three card straight, with a pair; eg: 5d 6s 7c 7s
• Three card straight, with an Ace (if the ace matches suits with one of the other cards; eg: 3c 4d 5s Ad
• Four cards that offer multiple straight possibilities. eg: 4589, 9TKA

Hands that look amazing, yet are hands you ought to throw away are hands with sets or quads. The reason is obvious - since you can only use two cards from your hand, these hands are drawing dead. Toss 'em and look ahead to your next hand.