14
February
Written by Darwin.
Posted in: Poker
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting follows at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players often get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in almost all poker games.
The low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complex at the start, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming assortment of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals battling for the high hand, and a few battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.
Stay in touch with the conversation, subscribe to the RSS feed for comments on this post.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
