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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 complicated but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a number of entrants get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in just about every poker game.

The lower hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest 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 below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the complete pot.

It may seem difficult at the outset, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha hi/lo offers an exciting range of wagering options and seeing that you have several players trying for the high hand, as well as a few shooting for the low. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha hi/low.

Posted in Poker.


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