Omaha Hi-Lo: Fundamental Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of betting ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting follows at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of entrants often get confused. Unlike 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 precisely two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical approach in just about every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.
Although it seems complex at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an exciting array of wagering options and seeing that you have several players shooting for the high hand, as well as many shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi low.
