Omaha Hi-Lo: Fundamental Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players can get confused. Unlike Hold’em, in which 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 exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in almost all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not 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 low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem complex at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to get the basic nuances of the game with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting array of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals shooting for the high, and many shooting for the low. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
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