Omaha Hi-Lo: Basic Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of betting follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical approach in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complicated at first, after a couple of hands you will be able to get the base subtleties of the game easily enough. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming collection of wagering choices and seeing that you have many individuals shooting for the high, and a few shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.