Omaha Hi-Lo: Fundamental Outline
Posted in Poker on 02/23/2016 03:21 am by Felipe
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha Hi-Lo starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. Another round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. a further round of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of entrants can get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in nearly every poker game.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
While it seems difficult at the outset, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha hi low offers an amazing array of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several individuals battling for the high, as well as a few shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.