Omaha Hi-Lo: Basic Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants can get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize precisely three cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in just about all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem difficult initially, following a couple of hands you will be able to get the base nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an exciting range of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals battling for the high hand, as well as many battling for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.
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