Omaha Hi-Low: General Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha Hi-Lo starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some players can get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up everyone’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, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same approach in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest 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 lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
While it seems complex at the start, after a couple of hands you will be able to get the base subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting range of betting choices and because you have several individuals shooting for the high, and a few shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.
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