Omaha Hi-Lo: General Summary
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 action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi/lo begins like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. After all the players have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players often get flustered. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use exactly three cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same concept in just about all poker games.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s 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 put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complicated at the outset, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the basic subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an exciting assortment of betting options and seeing that you have many individuals shooting for the high, as well as several shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.
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