Omaha Hi/Low: Basic Outline
Posted in Omaha on 07/14/2021 09:25 am by Luna
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players can get confused. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems complex at the start, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming collection of wagering options and seeing that you have several players trying for the high hand, and many battling for the low. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi low.