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Omaha Hi/Low: General Overview

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

Omaha hi lo starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of betting happens. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many entrants often get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal 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, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical approach in nearly all poker games.

A lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.

It may seem difficult at the outset, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of play easily enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous players battling for the high hand, along with several trying for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha hi-low.

 

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