Omaha Hi/Low: General Overview
February 14th, 2018 at 21:25
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha hi low starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower 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, etc. It is the identical concept in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
While it seems complex initially, following a few rounds you will be able to get the basic subtleties of play with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 provides an exciting assortment of wagering choices and because you have many players shooting for the high, as well as a few trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha hi/low.