Omaha Hi Low: Basic Overview
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 variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A sequence of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical concept in almost all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
While it seems difficult initially, following a few hands you will be able to get the basic nuances of play simply enough. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi/low offers an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and because you have several players trying for the high, as well as a few shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha hi low.
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