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Omaha Hi/Lo: General Overview

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers 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 players can get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical notion in almost every poker game.

The lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.

Although it seems difficult at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of play easily enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting array of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals battling for the high hand, along with several shooting for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha hi/lo.

 

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