Worst Starting Hand In Omaha

Worst Starting Hand In Omaha 3,9/5 3223 votes

The worst starting hand in texas Holdem poker hands is 3-2 offsuit. Often 7-2 is also referred to as the worst hand since it has less straight potential than a 3-2, despite having higher pot equity. Question 3: In which order are the poker hands ranked?

  • As odd and unlikely as it might sound, having quads (four of a kind) is the worst possible hand in Omaha hi-lo (the lower the four same ranked cards the worse, with four Deuces being the absolute worst). The best you can do with four of a kind is create a pair, so it is impossible to make the hand low.
  • The EV of all Omaha hands falls within a much narrower range then the EV of all holdem hands. The EV of the worst starting hand in holdem is more negative than the worst starting hand in Omaha and the EV of the best starting hand in Holdem is more positive then the EV of the best starting hand in Omaha.
This Poker glossary lists Holdem Omaha Stud terms plus rules for each game.
Although Texas Holdem Poker is the favorite game for online poker players, Omaha holds a great deal of interest for players.
7-Card Stud poker is included because of its long history and the fact that this multiplayer game will never go out of style. Stud poker holds fond memories for veteran players while at the same time appealing to newer players.
Each of the holdem omaha stud terms and mini-glossaries below begin with a brief overview of the rules followed by terms for the game.
Holdem omaha stud page concludes with the Holdem Poker Report that details the best and worst starting hands.

1A) Holdem Poker Rules at holdem omaha stud terms


The casino dealer deals out two cards, face down, one at a time to each player.
The first player to receive a card is the player to the left of the button.
After all players receive their two cards, there is a round of betting where players can call, raise or fold. Checking is not allowed on this round, called blind betting.
The dealer now deals three cards face up in the center of the table called the flop.
Another round of betting begins. The dealer places a fourth card face up on the table followed by a betting round.
The fifth and final card is placed by the dealer face up in the middle of the table, followed by the final round of betting.
Players choose their best five-card hand among seven cards, two cards dealt face down at the beginning of the poker game, and the five community cards in the middle of the layout. The winning hand is the highest poker hand.
1B) Holdem Poker Terms at holdem omaha stud terms: A - F
  • Back Door: lingo for receiving a good hand with last two cards dealt in either holdem or stud poker.
  • Big Blind: refers to the bets placed by participating players before hand is dealt, known as the small blind and big blind.
  • Big Stick: Ace or King in the hole—great starting hand. There are several possibilities from this hand: high pair and/or high straight.
  • Broadway: the likely profitable ace-high straight
  • Board: refers to the table center where community cards for all players are placed face up for holdem and 7-card stud poker.
  • Button: the last player to bet. This is an advantage in that you have the opportunity to watch the other players before making a decision.
  • Community Cards: center table cards placed faced up shared by all players.
  • Drawn Out: a come from behind move that makes a winning hand.
  • Flop: The first three community cards dealt and placed in the center of the table in the poker game of holdem poker.
  • Fourth Street: refers to the fourth card placed on board followed by the third round of wagering.
1B) Holdem Poker Terms at holdem omaha stud terms: G - Z
  • Holdem: poker game where players form the best possible 5-card hand based on 2 hole cards and 5 community cards. Also called Texas Holdem.
  • Holdem Online Speed Poker: a fast-paced virtually non-stop version where decisions are made in about 15 seconds or you are declared auto checked or dead in the round. You gotta be ready for each hand.
  • Middle Pair: If there are three cards of different ranks on the flop in Holdem, and you pair the middle one, you have a middle pair.
  • On the Button: jargon for the last player to bet in a round.
  • Overcard: a card that is higher than the highest cards on board.
  • Pineapple: poker version, known as Crazy Pineapple online, is similar to Holdem in that players are dealt 3 cards each and must toss 1 card after the flop is dealt.
  • Play the Board: occurs when the best hand that a player can make is the 5 community cards on the board.
  • Pocket Pairs: with Holdem, approximately 1 in every 17 hands will be a pocket pair or 2 cards of the same rank while 4 in every 17 hand will be suited cards, thus a possible flush. 12 hands in 17 will be unsuited hands that could contain ranking cards and possible high pairs. Example is Ace of Spades and King of Hearts.
  • Position Bet: refers to the betting position advantage of a player. Example: a player betting last is in good position to take the pot if no other player opens.
  • Rainbow: flop that displays three different suits; therefore, a flush cannot be made.
  • River: Final or seventh card dealt in Hold'em.
  • Scare Card: jargon for that card dealt that can improve a hand noticeably.
  • Spike: snagging that winning card on the turn or river card.
  • Texas Holdem: alternative and original name for the game, now a shortened and accepted term is simply Holdem.
  • Top Pair: refers to pairing the highest of the 3 cards in holdem on the flop.
  • Turn: refers to fourth of five community cards in games like Holdem, 7-card Stud and Omaha. Also known as fourth street.
2A) Omaha Rules at holdem omaha stud terms
There are two variations of this poker game, Omaha High only and Omaha Hi/Lo split.
It can be played with the betting being a structured Limit game or you can find No Limit and Pot Limit games.
After the blinds are posted, each player is dealt four cards face down with the player on the small blind receiving the first card and the player with the dealer button getting the last card.
The Flop
Dealer burns one card at the start of each round, and then 3 cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table known as the Flop. These are community cards used by all the players.
The Turn
When the betting round after the flop is completed, the dealer burns another card and turns a fourth card face up in the middle of the table known as the Turn.
The River
Following the betting round for the turn, the dealer will burn another card and turn a fifth and final card face up. This is called the River, and the final betting round begins
The Showdown
To determine the winner, the player MUST use two of his/her hole cards and three cards from the board to form the highest five-card hand. There may be a tie, which happens often in Omaha Hi/Lo. In that case, the players will split the pot.
2B) Hi/Lo Omaha terms at holdem omaha stud terms
  • Baby: is a low card, generally a 5 or lower and offers the possibility of making a perfect low.
  • Banana: same as a Brick, a card between 9 and a King.
  • Brick: jargon for a card between 9 and a King as it is unlikely to qualify for an 8 low.
  • Escape: you have just snagged a card that will likely win half the pot.
  • Free Roll: a nice position. You are guaranteed the high or low plus the possibly of winning the other half puts you in a free roll.
  • Lowball or Low Poker: a 5 or 7-card version of Omaha where the lowest hand wins.
  • Quartered: a split between two players for half the pot.
  • River: Final or seventh card dealt in Omaha.
  • Runners: two consecutive cards that boost your hand.
  • Scoop: you have just won the whole pot—Congratulations!
  • Wheel: a very strong hand containing A-2-3-4-5 is termed a wheel because it counts as a perfect low and a five high straight.
3A) 7-card Stud rules at holdem omaha stud terms
Each player receives seven cards; therefore, the number of players in this poker game is limited to seven or less. 7-card Stud has five betting rounds. Each player is dealt two cards down and one card up.
The two cards face down are called your hole cards and the up card is referred to as your door card.
The first betting round is called 3rd street followed by 4th, 5th, 6th and finally 7th street. After seventh street, each active player has four up cards and three hole cards face down.
There is a final betting round and all players show their hands after the betting is complete. The highest five-card hand wins the pot.
3B) 7-card Stud terms at holdem omaha stud terms: B - P
  • Bring In: once all cards are dealt, the lowest card on the table must make a small bet of approximately 1/3 the size of the lower limit set, and cannot fold.
  • Buried: referring to the first 2 cards dealt face down or 'in the hole' that consist of a pair.
  • Door Card: First upcard dealt in a round of Stud Poker.
  • Fifth Street: term for the third betting round when each player has 5 cards. At this juncture in the round, betting limits double and some players fold.
  • Fourth Street: term for the second betting round when each player has 4 cards.
  • Going to the River: remaining in the game until the final or seventh card.
  • Hole Cards: two cards known only to the player thus held ‘in the hole’.
  • Pocket Pair: dealt a pair in the hole. Pocket Pair term is used for both Stud and Holdem.
3B) 7-card Stud terms at holdem omaha stud terms: R - Z
  • Rag: poker jargon for weak hole cards.
  • River: Final or seventh card dealt in 7-card Stud
  • Rolled Up: referring to the first 3 cards dealt face down or 'in the hole' that is 3-of-a-kind.
  • Seven Card Stud Poker Game: in brief, players can use 5 of the 7 cards dealt to form a hand.
  • Seventh Street: jargon for the fifth and final round of wagering when each player has 7 cards.
  • Sixth Street: term for the fourth betting round when each player has 6 cards.
  • Street: refers to the betting round that occurs after a specific number of cards are dealt.
  • Stud Poker: general term for this version of poker.
  • Third Street: term for the first betting round when each player has 3 cards.
  • Trips: term for three-of-a-kind. Example: AAA
  • Turn: Your fourth card received to include the two hole cards already dealt to you.
Holdem Report at holdem omaha stud page
This report details the best and worst starting hands. Holdem starting hands refers to the first two hole cards dealt to poker players.
Based on the strength of these 2 cards, the decision to bet and/or stay in the game will be made.
For this report, the strength of the starting hands is rated when nine or ten players are at the table.
High suited cards are worth a small bet early and depending on the stakes, possibly in late position also.
10 Best Texas Holdem Starting Hands at holdem omaha stud page
1) Pair of Aces
2) Pair of Kings
3) Pair of Queens
4) Ace and King: of the same suit.
5) Pair of Jacks: unless the flop shows a Queen, King or an Ace.
6) Ace and Queen: this suited hand is in the same league as Ace and King.
7) King and Queen: if suited—even better, unless the board reveals an Ace.
8) Ace and Jack: suited or unsuited may evolve into a winner.
9) King and Jack: suited=a Holdem best, however unsuited=not so much.
10) Ace and Ten: there is a reason for the #10 rating as this starting hand can tumble by hands #1-9.
In the end, the top ranked possibilities are pocket pairs of Aces to Queens followed by suited cards Ace-King and Ace-Queen.
As the game progresses, the real skill is with your instinctive knowledge of whether to continue betting or not. The ability to recognize and run a bluff is also an essential strategy.
10 Worst Holdem Starting Hands at holdem omaha stud page
1) 2-6 Unsuited
The low straight draw possibility is a long shot with this combo.
2) 2-7 Unsuited
If you think 2-6 unsuited is useless, this hand can easily be beaten by a pair of eights
3) 2-8 Unsuited
The only good news is that a pair of 8s beats a pair of 7s. Nothing to cheer about here.
4) 2-9 Unsuited
Toss ‘em. Enough said.
Worst Starting Hand In Omaha 5) 2–10 Unsuited
Possible pair of tens–nah, move on.
6) 3-7 Unsuited
Not likely a straight draw, so next hand please.
7) 3-8 Unsuited

Worst Starting Hand In Omaha

Unlike #6 above, there’s not even a possible straight here.

What Are The Best Starting Hands In Omaha High


8) 3-9 Unsuited
Probably the worst of the worst here.
9) 4-9 Unsuited
Go for the fold here and fight another day.
10) 5-9 Unsuited
Notice that all 10 hands above can easily be bettered by a pair of Aces, Kings, Queens or Jacks. The opportunity for a win is slim to none, so walk away fast!
After Holdem Omaha Stud terms, the general poker glossary begins here
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Worst Starting Hand In Omaha


It can be tempting to play a lot of hands in Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or better games – after all, high-only hands will win the pot some 30% of the time! This can be even more temping when you can see a flop relatively cheaply after a number of limpers… now the cold, hard facts – the quickest way to lose your bankroll is to play too loose in Omaha/8 poker. In fact you should be playing less starting hands than in other forms of poker, after all hands which can hit both the high and the low side of the pot with the nuts do not come along too often.

This guide will look at the various starting hands for Omaha Hi-Lo poker including PLO8. We start with the strongest hands of all and then drill down to speculative holdings. Your objective with every hand you play in Omaha Hi-Lo are twofold, to ‘scoop’ both the high and the low sides of the pot and to avoid being quartered – these objectives must be considered every time you enter a pot if you are to be a long-term profitable player.

Premium Hands

The very best PLO8 and O8 starting hands are known as ‘suited babies’, that is to say small suited cards with an ace suited with at least one other card. These hands have the very best chance of scooping both sides of the pot. They can make ‘nut low’ hands with the small cards, and the ace + flush potential gives a great opportunity to win the high side of the pot also. A double suited (2 cards of each suit) hand will add to this strength still further. A pair of aces double suited with 2 babies is a potential monster in Omaha 8 or better – the potential to scoop here is huge.

Very Strong Hands

In this category come hands with both low and high potential that can not quite be considered premiums. Small cards are still favored, especially with an ace included as this gives high possibilities. Ace hands which contain 4 ‘babies’ are considered strong as they have both low and low straight potential. Hands with and ace-2 and another small card can be played where they have ‘backup’ for the high, for example a king suited with one of the small cards. K-K-A-X where X is a card 4 or below can also be played strongly in many circumstances.

High-Only Hands

Since the flop will not make a low hand possible 30% of the time there is a place for high only hands. However, these need to be played only when it is cheap to see a flop and where you are prepared to fold quickly should you not hit a nut hand (or very strong high draw with no low possible). High only hands should be the strongest possible, A-A-K-K or A-A-J-10 double suited being the very best – play these from late position and with caution!

Omaha Starting Hand Rankings

Non-Ace Hands

While playing only hands with aces will keep beginning players out of trouble there are playable hands which do not contain these. The best would be 2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-6 which give you a combination of low and straight possibilities, if betting gets heavy and there is no ace on the board then you may be beaten for the low when holding non-ace hands.

Marginal Hands

The worst hand to make in any form of poker is the 2nd best hand, especially in a game such as PLO8 where finding out you are behind can be very expensive indeed. Hands with A-2 and 2 medium cards can be considered marginal, you are unlikely to make a high and are in danger of being quartered when you make the nut low. Cards with some backup in the form of an additional low card A-2-4-9 for example are a little stronger a suited ace and weak opposition could push these hands into the ‘playable with caution’ category from later position. See our article on Ace-2 errors for more on this important subject.

Omaha Starting Hand Chart

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