Omaha Hi Low: General Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players often get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in just about every poker game.
The lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, 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 lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems complex at the outset, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming assortment of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have many players shooting for the high, along with many trying for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha hi lo.