Omaha Hi-Lo: General Summary


Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.

Omaha hi low begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering happens. After all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. a further round of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a number of players can get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same concept in just about every poker game.

The lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower 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’s no low hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.

It may seem difficult at the outset, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming assortment of betting options and seeing that you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, along with a few trying for the low. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.

  1. No comments yet.

You must be logged in to post a comment.