Omaha Hi/Low: Basic Overview
January 9th, 2016 at 10:21
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting ensues where players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. After all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering happens at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players often get flustered. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must utilize precisely three cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same notion in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complicated at first, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha High-Low provides an overwhelming collection of wagering possibilities and because you have many individuals shooting for the high hand, along with several battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.