Omaha Hi/Low: General Overview


Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where some players get flustered. 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 precisely two hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in nearly every poker game.

The low hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest 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 higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.

Although it seems difficult at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing range of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have many individuals trying for the high, and many battling for the low. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.

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