Omaha Hi-Lo: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows where players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. After all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants can get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same concept in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as 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 lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complicated initially, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better provides an exciting range of betting possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, along with several battling for the low hand. 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.
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