Omaha Hi/Low: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha hi low begins like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more round of betting happens. After all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players often get confused. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in nearly every poker game.
A low hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complicated at first, following a few hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an exciting collection of wagering choices and seeing that you have several individuals battling for the high, as well as several battling for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha Hi-Lo.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
