Omaha Hi/Low: Basic Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting ensues in which players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering 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 a number of players get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in just about all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest being 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 lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complicated at the outset, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to get the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of wagering choices and because you have many individuals battling for the high, as well as several shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.
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