Omaha Hi Lo: Basic Summary
February 8th, 2016 at 4:21
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of betting ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of entrants can get baffled. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest 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 nearly all poker games.
A low hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem complex at first, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the base nuances of play simply enough. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an exciting assortment of wagering possibilities and because you have many players battling for the high hand, and several battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.