Omaha Hi Low: General Summary

by Carmelo on December 18th, 2020

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha hi/lo begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a few players can get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in just about all poker games.

The lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand wins the entire pot.

It may seem complicated at first, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as 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/8 provides an overwhelming range of betting options and because you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, along with many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.

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