23
January
Written by Zain.
Posted in: Poker
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players often get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in nearly all poker games.
The lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems complicated at the start, after a couple of hands you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of play easily enough. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an amazing assortment of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have numerous players battling for the high, along with several battling for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.
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