Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting follows where players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering follows and then the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few players can get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to utilize exactly three cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no 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 exactly how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in nearly every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems complicated initially, after a few rounds you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of play easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha hi/low provides an overwhelming range of betting options and seeing that you have numerous individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as several battling for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.
This entry was posted on November 22, 2015, 1:21 pm and is filed under Omaha. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.