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Omaha Hi-Lo: General Overview

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha hi lo starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of betting follows at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where a few entrants get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical notion in almost every poker game.

The low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the entire pot.

It may seem difficult at the start, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to get the basic nuances of the game easily enough. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/lo offers an exciting range of betting choices and because you have numerous individuals battling for the high, along with many battling for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.