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Omaha Hi/Low: Basic Summary
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi/low begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants often get baffled. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical notion in just about all poker games.
A lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complex initially, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of play with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an exciting array of betting options and owing to the fact that you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, as well as several shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.