Omaha Hi Lo: General Outline

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better begins like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where a few entrants often get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower 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’s the very same approach in nearly all poker games.

A lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.

It may seem difficult initially, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha hi lo offers an exciting range of betting possibilities and seeing that you have numerous individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as a few shooting for the low. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.