Omaha Hi Low: General Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants often get confused. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize exactly three cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical concept in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest value 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 five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.
Although it seems complex at the outset, following a couple of hands you will be able to get the basic subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting array of wagering choices and seeing that you have many individuals battling for the high, and a few shooting for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.
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