Omaha Hi-Low: Fundamental Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting follows where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering follows and then the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants often get flustered. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two 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 hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same concept in nearly every poker game.
The 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 worst hand that might be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems complicated at the start, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting array of betting options and because you have many individuals trying for the high hand, along with many trying for the low hand. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
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