Omaha Hi/Lo: Basic Outline
Friday, 17. November 2023
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players can get flustered. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t 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. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems complicated initially, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of play with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/lo provides an exciting assortment of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have several players trying for the high hand, along with many shooting for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha hi-low.
Posted in Omaha by Brennen - No Comments