Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players can get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. 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 is no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems complex at first, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha High-Low provides an amazing assortment of wagering choices and seeing that you have many players shooting for the high, as well as a few battling for the low. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha Hi-Lo.
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