13
May
Written by Michelle.
Posted in: Poker
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The players will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some players get baffled. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can 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 worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complex at first, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the base subtleties of play simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi/lo provides an exciting array of betting possibilities and because you have many individuals shooting for the high, along with many trying for the low hand. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha High-Low.
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