Omaha Hi/Lo: Fundamental 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’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha hi-low starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. After all the gamblers 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 flipped. The entrants will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many players often get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same approach in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems complex at the start, following a few hands you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Since you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha High-Low offers an amazing range of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous players trying for the high hand, as well as several trying for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.
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