17
February
Written by Manuel.
Posted in: Poker
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting ensues in which players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants often get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the worst 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 low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complex initially, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming assortment of betting choices and because you have numerous individuals shooting for the high, along with several shooting for the low. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.
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