Omaha Hi Lo: Fundamental Summary
Posted in Omaha on 07/27/2020 11:25 pm by Fernanda
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of betting ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering ensues and then 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 where a few entrants get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular 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 strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same approach in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the lowest value 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 lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem difficult initially, after a few hands you will be able to get the basic nuances of play with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming assortment of wagering choices and seeing that you have numerous individuals battling for the high hand, along with a few shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.