Omaha

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a number of players can get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in just about every poker game.

The lower hand is more complex, 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 might be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that 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 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.

Although it seems complicated at the start, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming collection of betting options and because you have many players shooting for the high, as well as a few battling 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 play Omaha/8.