Omaha Hi/Lo: General Summary

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It is a variation 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 grown in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where a few entrants can get baffled. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical notion in nearly every poker game.

The low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.

While it seems complex at first, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the basic subtleties of the game simply enough. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming array of wagering choices and owing to the fact that you have several individuals battling for the high hand, along with several battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha hi lo.