Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of betting ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use precisely three cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem complex at the start, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming assortment of wagering possibilities and because you have several individuals battling for the high hand, along with a few shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi lo.
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