Omaha Hi-Low: General Overview

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha/8 begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many players can get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same concept in nearly all poker games.

The low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because 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 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.

It may seem difficult at first, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha hi/lo offers an amazing range of betting options and seeing that you have numerous individuals battling for the high hand, as well as many shooting for the low. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.

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