Omaha Hi-Lo: Fundamental Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi/low begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants can get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly 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 notion in nearly all poker games.
The lower hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that 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 eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complex at first, after a few hands you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming collection of betting choices and because you have several individuals trying for the high, and many shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha hi/lo.