Omaha Hi/Lo: General Summary

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha hi low starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many entrants can get confused. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might 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 is the identical concept in almost every poker game.

The lower hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 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 takes the complete pot.

It may seem complex at first, following a few hands you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an amazing array of betting possibilities and because you have numerous players battling for the high, along with several trying for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.