Omaha Hi-Lo: General Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players can get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher 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 same approach in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since 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 eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem difficult initially, following a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better provides an exciting array of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have many players trying for the high, as well as many shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha hi-low.