Omaha

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering follows where players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The players will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a number of players often get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular 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’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same approach in nearly every poker game.

A lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.

It may seem complex at the start, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi-low offers an overwhelming array of betting options and seeing that you have many players shooting for the high hand, along with a few battling for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.