Omaha Information » Blog Archive » Omaha Hi/Lo: Fundamental Overview

 

Omaha Hi/Lo: Fundamental Overview

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has increased in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many entrants get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must use exactly three cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same notion in almost every poker game.

The low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not 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 lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.

It may seem complex at the start, following a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of play with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha hi lo offers an amazing collection of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have several players trying for the high, along with many trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.