Omaha Hi/Low: Basic Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. One more round of betting ensues. After all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few players get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, 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 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 is no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complicated initially, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the base nuances of play with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha Hi-Lo offers an exciting range of betting options and because you have many individuals battling for the high, as well as many trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi/low.
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