Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting ensues in which players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players can get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same approach in nearly every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems complex at the start, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming range of betting options and seeing that you have several individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as a few battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.
This entry was posted on January 22, 2016, 5:21 pm and is filed under Omaha. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.