Omaha

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where some entrants can get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same notion in almost all poker games.

A lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could 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 worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.

It may seem complex at first, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha High-Low provides an overwhelming assortment of wagering options and because you have several players shooting for the high, and several shooting for the low. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha High-Low.