Omaha Hi Lo: General Summary
April 21st, 2020 at 9:25
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. 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 irrelevant variation, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering happens at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players often get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to utilize precisely three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical approach in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the worst 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 low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
While it seems complex at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi lo offers an exciting collection of betting options and because you have numerous players trying for the high, as well as many battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.