Omaha Hi/Lo: Basic Outline
Posted in Omaha on 01/10/2019 02:25 am by Ayden
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has increased in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering ensues and then the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might 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 everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same approach in nearly all poker games.
The low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest 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 does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complex at the outset, following a few hands you will be able to get the base subtleties of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an exciting range of betting choices and seeing that you have several individuals trying for the high hand, along with many battling for the low hand. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha High-Low.