Omaha Hi/Low: General Overview


Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so quickly.

Omaha hi-low begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The players 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 get flustered. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 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 best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in just about every poker game.

A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.

It may seem difficult initially, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming collection of wagering options and seeing that you have several players shooting for the high, and many battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha hi/low.

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