Omaha Hi/Lo: General Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of betting ensues in which players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. Another 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 wagering follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some players often get baffled. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same notion in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.
Although it seems difficult at the outset, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play easily enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha hi low provides an exciting range of wagering choices and because you have numerous individuals shooting for the high, along with several battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.
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