Omaha Hi/Lo: Basic Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha Hi-Lo begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical notion in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem complex at the start, after a few hands you will be agile enough to get the basic nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an amazing range of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have several players shooting for the high, along with several battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.
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