Omaha Hi-Low: General Summary
Posted in Poker on 06/09/2022 01:25 pm by Caylee
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players get baffled. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in almost all poker games.
The low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not 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 lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.
While it seems difficult at first, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an overwhelming range of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as several battling for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.