12
February
Written by Abdiel.
Posted in: Poker
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 variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha Hi-Lo begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants can get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just 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, etc. It’s the identical approach in nearly all poker games.
The lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since 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 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the complete pot.
Although it seems complicated initially, after a few hands you will be agile enough to get the base subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha hi/low provides an exciting array of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, and a few shooting for the low. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha/8.
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