Omaha Hi-Low: General Summary
Thursday, 1. February 2007
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players can get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly three cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same concept in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems complex at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of play simply enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing array of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals trying for the high hand, as well as a few battling for the low. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.
Posted in Poker by Lilly