Omaha Hi/Lo: Basic Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many players get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’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 regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical approach in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest 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 takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complex initially, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the basic nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming range of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have several players battling for the high hand, as well as a few battling for the low. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.