Omaha Hi/Low: General Overview

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha 8 or better starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where some players get confused. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

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

A low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.

Although it seems complex at the start, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of play simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an amazing collection of wagering choices and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals battling for the high hand, along with several trying for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.