Omaha Hi-Lo: General Summary
October 17th, 2015 at 1:21
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex 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 chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some players can get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use exactly three cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical notion in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. 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 high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
Although it seems difficult at the start, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of play easily enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an exciting range of wagering choices and because you have several players shooting for the high, and many battling for the low. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha High-Low.