Omaha Hi-Low: Basic Overview
Posted in Poker on 04/18/2016 10:21 am by Caylee
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha/8 begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants can get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize precisely three cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical notion in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens 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 value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem difficult at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the base subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming collection of wagering choices and seeing that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, along with a few trying for the low hand. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.