Omaha Hi Lo: Fundamental Outline
Posted in Poker on 01/21/2020 10:25 pm by Caylee
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering happens. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants get flustered. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in just about all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.
While it seems difficult at first, following a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of play easily enough. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming array of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have many players trying for the high, as well as many trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha hi/lo.