Omaha Hi/Low: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering happens at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players can get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in almost all poker games.
A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complicated at first, after a few rounds you will be able to get the base nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better provides an amazing assortment of betting possibilities and because you have many players trying for the high hand, and a few shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
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