Omaha Hi-Low: Fundamental Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi/low starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of entrants often get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in almost every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem difficult at the start, following a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting range of betting possibilities and because you have numerous individuals trying for the high, as well as several battling for the low. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi low.