Omaha Hi-Lo: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is revealed. The players 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 number of players can get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same notion in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more complicated, but really 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 can be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem difficult at first, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of play with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an exciting range of betting options and seeing that you have numerous individuals shooting for the high hand, along with many battling for the low. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.
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