Omaha Hi Low: Fundamental Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of betting ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players can get flustered. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in nearly every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems complicated at the start, following a few rounds you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an exciting array of betting choices and seeing that you have several individuals battling for the high hand, along with a few trying for the low hand. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.
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