Omaha Hi-Lo: Basic Summary

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.

Omaha/8 begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting ensues in which players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many entrants get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical approach in almost all poker games.

A lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.

Although it seems complicated at the outset, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the basic nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an exciting collection of wagering choices and because you have numerous players trying for the high, as well as many battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.