Omaha Hi Low: Basic Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha hi lo begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting ensues in which players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants get baffled. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem difficult initially, following a few hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game easily enough. Since you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming collection of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, as well as a few trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.
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.
