Omaha Hi Low: General Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of wagering ensues and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants can get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same notion in just about all poker games.
A low hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest 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 higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems complex at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of play simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better provides an exciting range of betting choices and seeing that you have many players battling for the high, along with a few shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi lo.
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