Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants can get confused. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.
Although it seems complex initially, after a few hands you will be able to get the base subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting assortment of betting possibilities and because you have several individuals trying for the high hand, and many shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha hi/lo.
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