Omaha Hi/Lo: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. After all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same concept in just about every poker game.
The lower hand is more complicated, 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 can be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem difficult at the start, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing array of wagering options and seeing that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, as well as several battling for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha hi-low.