Omaha Hi-Low: General Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of betting follows where players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same notion in nearly all poker games.
The low hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complex at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to get the basic nuances of play simply enough. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an overwhelming array of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have numerous players battling for the high hand, as well as several shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.