Omaha Hi/Lo: Basic Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of betting follows at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants can get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same notion in nearly every poker game.
A low 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 might be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that 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 smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems difficult at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the base subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an amazing array of betting choices and because you have numerous players battling for the high hand, as well as a few shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.
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