Omaha Hi-Lo: General Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha/8 begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants often get confused. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical approach in almost all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.
While it seems difficult at the start, following a few rounds you will be able to get the base nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an exciting assortment of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, along with many trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha/8.