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Omaha Hi-Lo: Fundamental Overview

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a number of players get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can 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, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical notion in just about all poker games.

The low hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the worst 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 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.

While it seems complicated at first, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming range of wagering possibilities and because you have several players battling for the high hand, as well as a few shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.