Omaha Hi-Lo: Basic Outline
Monday, 21. September 2015
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 is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some players get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same notion in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.
While it seems complicated at first, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of the game with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of betting possibilities and seeing that you have numerous individuals battling for the high, and several trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.
Posted in Poker by Winston