11.07
Omaha Hi/Low: Basic Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha/8 begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same approach in almost all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems complex at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi low offers an overwhelming array of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have many individuals shooting for the high, along with several shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha/8.