Omaha Hi-Low: Fundamental Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. 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 obscure game, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants can get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same concept in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might 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 lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complex at the start, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of play with ease. Since you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming collection of betting options and seeing that you have many players battling for the high, as well as several shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.