Omaha Hi/Lo: Fundamental Overview
Posted in Poker on 02/29/2016 01:21 am by Caylee
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but popular 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 amazingly.
Omaha Hi-Lo starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. After all the players have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players can get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same notion in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complicated initially, after a few hands you will be able to get the basic subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha hi low offers an exciting array of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have many players shooting for the high, along with a few trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha hi/lo.