Omaha Hi Lo: Fundamental Outline


Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.

Omaha hi low begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a number of entrants can get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in just about all poker games.

The low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.

While it seems complicated at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be able to get the base nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better provides an amazing array of wagering choices and seeing that you have numerous individuals shooting for the high hand, and several trying for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.

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