Omaha

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but popular poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has increased in popularity so amazingly.

Omaha hi-low starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many players often get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike 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 is the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same approach in nearly every poker game.

The low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the complete pot.

It may seem difficult at the outset, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an exciting collection of betting options and seeing that you have many players shooting for the high hand, as well as a few battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.