03
January
Written by Abdiel.
Posted in: Poker
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi lo starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of betting ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers 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 number of players get baffled. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. 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 "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same approach in just about every poker game.
A lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems complicated at first, after a few hands you will be able to get the base nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting collection of wagering options and seeing that you have many individuals battling for the high hand, and a few shooting for the low hand. 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 or better.
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