Omaha Hi-Lo: Fundamental Overview


Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha hi low begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering happens at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where some players can get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same concept in just about all poker games.

A low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand wins the entire pot.

Although it seems complex at first, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of play easily enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of wagering possibilities and because you have many individuals shooting for the high hand, along with many shooting for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha hi-low.

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