Omaha Hi/Low: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering ensues and then the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some players often get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, no 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 what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem difficult at the outset, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming assortment of wagering choices and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals battling for the high, and several battling for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha hi-low.
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