Omaha Hi-Lo: Basic Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi/low starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting happens at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players get confused. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same approach in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complex initially, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi lo provides an amazing range of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have numerous players trying for the high, and many battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
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