Omaha Hi/Low: Fundamental Outline

[ English ]

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has grown in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha/8 starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where some entrants get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize precisely three cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same approach in almost all poker games.

A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that might 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 worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.

It may seem complicated at the outset, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an exciting range of betting options and seeing that you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, and many battling for the low. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi low.

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