09.11
Omaha Hi/Low: Fundamental Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants can get flustered. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize exactly three cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical notion in nearly every poker game.
A low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not 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 wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems complicated at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an exciting array of wagering choices and seeing that you have several players trying for the high hand, and a few shooting for the low. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.