Omaha Hi/Low: Basic Overview

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.

Omaha/8 starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players will have to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where many players often get flustered. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical notion in almost all poker games.

A low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.

It may seem difficult initially, after a couple of rounds you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing assortment of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous players trying for the high hand, and a few shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.

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