10.05
Omaha Hi-Lo: General Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants often get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same concept in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems complicated at the start, after a few hands you will be able to get the base nuances of play with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming assortment of betting choices and seeing that you have many players shooting for the high hand, and several battling for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.