Omaha Hi Lo: Fundamental Summary
Tuesday, 22. March 2022
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players often get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in just about all poker games.
A low hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that 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 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.
Although it seems complex at first, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an exciting assortment of wagering choices and because you have numerous players shooting for the high, as well as several trying for the low hand. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.
Posted in Omaha by Brennen