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Omaha Hi Lo: General Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of betting happens. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants often get confused. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same notion in nearly all poker games.
The low hand is more complex, 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 can be put together, 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 lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem difficult initially, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have many individuals battling for the high hand, as well as many shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.