06
September
Written by Cordell.
Posted in: Poker
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some players often get flustered. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. No 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 just how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same approach in just about all poker games.
The low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not 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. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem difficult at the outset, following a few rounds you will be able to get the base subtleties of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing range of betting choices and seeing that you have numerous individuals shooting for the high, along with many battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha High-Low.
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