2016
03.12

Omaha Hi-Lo: General Summary

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’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.

Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. After all the players have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many entrants get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no 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 exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same approach in nearly all poker games.

The low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.

While it seems complex at first, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming range of betting possibilities and because you have many individuals battling for the high hand, along with several shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.

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