05.13
Omaha Hi/Low: Basic Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few players often get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same notion in nearly every poker game.
The lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complex at the start, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of play simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming assortment of wagering choices and seeing that you have numerous players battling for the high hand, along with a few battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.