Omaha Hi Low: Basic Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants often get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same concept in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.
While it seems complicated initially, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough 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 since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi-low provides an overwhelming collection of wagering choices and because you have many individuals battling for the high, as well as many shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
