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 well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha hi lo begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where many entrants can get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 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 "low hand."

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

A lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t 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. 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 eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.

Although it seems complex at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to get the base nuances of the game with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha hi/low offers an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous players trying for the high hand, along with several trying for the low. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.