Omaha Hi-Lo: Basic Overview
Posted in Omaha on 10/26/2015 05:21 pm by Dale
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha hi/lo starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants can get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize exactly three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more difficult, but really 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 might be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems complex at the start, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the basic subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an exciting assortment of betting choices and because you have several individuals trying for the high, and many shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha hi/lo.