02
March
Written by Michelle.
Posted in: Poker
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players can get confused. 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 precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in just about all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems complex initially, after a couple of rounds you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/lo provides an amazing range of wagering options and because you have many individuals battling for the high, and a few battling for the low. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha hi/low.
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