Omaha Hi Lo: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of betting ensues in which players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants often get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical concept in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complex initially, following a few hands you will be able to get the base nuances of play simply enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha Hi-Lo offers an overwhelming collection of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have several players shooting for the high hand, along with a few shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.
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