Omaha Hi/Lo: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha Hi-Lo begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players can get confused. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical notion in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
Although it seems difficult initially, following a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an exciting range of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several players shooting for the high hand, as well as several trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
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