Omaha Hi-Low: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha hi/low begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants can get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use exactly three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same approach in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. 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 lowest being made up of 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 five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems complex initially, following a few rounds you will be able to get the base subtleties of play with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming range of wagering choices and owing to the fact that you have many individuals battling for the high, and many shooting for the low. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha/8.
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