06.12
Omaha Hi-Lo: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. After all the players have either called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering ensues and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players can get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same concept in just about all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complicated at the outset, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of wagering choices and because you have several individuals battling for the high, as well as several shooting for the low. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.