Omaha Hi/Low: General Overview
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 chief reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha Hi-Lo starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting ensues where players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. Another round of wagering happens. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of wagering ensues and then the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants can get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical approach in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.
Although it seems complex at first, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game simply enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha hi-low offers an exciting assortment of wagering options and because you have several players trying for the high hand, as well as many battling for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi lo.