Omaha Hi/Lo: Basic Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical approach in just about every poker game.
A lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of 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 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.
While it seems complicated initially, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of the game with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/low provides an overwhelming range of wagering choices and owing to the fact that you have numerous players trying for the high, and many battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.