Omaha Hi Low: General Overview
Posted in Omaha on 08/15/2017 04:25 pm by Fernanda
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 play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The players 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 often get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same approach in nearly all poker games.
The low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complex at the start, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an overwhelming assortment of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous individuals shooting for the high, along with many trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.