Omaha Hi/Lo: General Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi/lo begins like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same notion in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
Although it seems difficult at first, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha Hi-Lo offers an amazing assortment of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as a few shooting for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.
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