Omaha Hi/Lo: General Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi low begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants get baffled. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same approach in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When determining 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 A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem difficult at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of play easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha High-Low provides an overwhelming range of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have numerous players trying for the high, as well as a few battling for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha/8.