Omaha Hi-Lo: Basic Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players can get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize precisely three cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same notion in almost all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem difficult initially, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an amazing assortment of wagering possibilities and because you have many players trying for the high, and a few battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.