Omaha Hi/Low: Fundamental Outline
June 19th, 2018 at 2:40
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering follows in which players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players often get flustered. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same concept in almost every poker game.
The lower hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, 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 smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem difficult at the outset, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming array of betting possibilities and seeing that you have numerous individuals battling for the high hand, and many shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.