Omaha Hi/Lo: Fundamental Outline
Posted in Omaha on 09/27/2017 04:25 am by Fernanda
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants can get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
Although it seems difficult initially, after a couple of hands you will be able to get the base nuances of the game with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting range of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals battling for the high, and many trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.