Omaha Hi-Low: General Overview
Posted in Omaha on 08/27/2015 07:21 pm by Dale
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players can get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same notion in almost all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complicated at first, following a few hands you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an exciting assortment of betting possibilities and seeing that you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, along with several trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.