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Omaha Hi Lo: Fundamental Summary

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so rapidly.

Omaha/8 starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting follows where players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a few players often get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in nearly every poker game.

A lower hand is more complex, but certainly 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 might be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.

Although it seems complex at first, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the basic nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 provides an exciting assortment of betting possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals shooting for the high hand, and several trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.

Posted in Poker.


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