Omaha Hi/Lo: General Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi/lo begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players can get baffled. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize precisely three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in almost every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the play. 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 lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems difficult at first, following a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting collection of betting options and owing to the fact that you have many players battling for the high, and many shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha hi/lo.
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