Omaha

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so amazingly.

Omaha hi-low begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of betting ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a number of entrants can get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in almost every poker game.

A low hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could 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 lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.

It may seem complex at first, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi/lo offers an amazing range of wagering choices and owing to the fact that you have several individuals trying for the high, along with several trying for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha Hi-Lo.