Omaha Hi Low: Basic Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. After all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering ensues and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same notion in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem difficult initially, after a couple of hands you will be able to get the basic nuances of play with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming collection of wagering options and seeing that you have numerous individuals trying for the high, and many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha hi-low.