Omaha Hi-Lo: Basic Outline
Posted in Poker on 02/20/2018 03:26 pm by Valerie
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi lo starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering ensues and then the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players can get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same concept in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest 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 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. 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 whole pot.
It may seem complex initially, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Since you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an exciting assortment of betting options and because you have numerous individuals battling for the high, as well as a few trying for the low. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.