How To Avoid Getting "Quartered" In Omaha High-Low
A perennial risk on Omaha Hi-Lo poker involves winning only a quarter of the pot. This usually happens when you share the low side of the pot, while an opponent takes the high side. Many players regularly put themselves at risk of being quartered by playing in such a way as to increase the likelihood of this expensive scenario occurring. This article outlines common situations in which you can be quartered, and suggests ways to spot and avoid these situations in the future.
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Being quartered in Omaha Hi-Lo is sometimes difficult to avoid, especially when a low card which counterfeits your nut hand appears on a later street. However, the most common situation in which players are quartered is while holding a ‘bare Ace-Two’ (or sometimes ace-three) hand and flopping the nut low or a strong draw to it.
By the time the betting is finished and the pot split you find that an opponent is sharing the low side with that same ace-two, while a random 2-pair or medium-flush is taking the high side of the pot away from you. Heads up this can result in just 25c of every dollar coming back your way, even three-way this can prove expensive.
Yet, ace-two is a great combination to have in a starting hand and with some help from suits, another low card or a pair can make a solid starting hand. This makes avoiding being quartered problematic in many situations. There are two key ways in which players can reduce the chances of losing money in this way.
Firstly, ensure that you play from late position and with some backup in your starting hand. Preferably a double-suited hand with another ‘baby’ which can provide some chance of winning the high side of the pot in addition to the low. Acting last will give you information on your opponent’s intentions before you part with any chips. If you have a ‘bare ace-two’ in a multi-way pot with a coordinated low on the flop then you should be aware of the classic signs of being quartered.
Many opponents will signal the strength of their hand with bets before and after the flop. A common example is an opponent who will bet with the nuts but call with non-nut made hands and draws. Again the coordinated low flops – for example 5-6-8 with 2 suits – are key to understanding the bets of opponents. If there is a bet from a tight player and a raise then you can seriously consider whether your Ace-two-x-x hand is good enough to play in a very large pot.
To summarize, being quartered is a risk factor in Omaha Hi-Lo which can not always be avoided. However the careful selection of starting hands, playing from late position and awareness of what opponent’s betting means will help you spot and avoid many of these situations. What is more they will allow you to spot opponents who regularly get into these trouble spots, and take 3/4ths of the pot from them!
