Omaha Hi-Lo: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. One more round of betting happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to put together the strongest 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, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical notion in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems difficult at first, following a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming assortment of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have several individuals trying for the high hand, as well as many battling for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.