Omaha

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering happens and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where some entrants often get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

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

A lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest 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 lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.

It may seem complicated at the start, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game easily enough. Since 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 provides an exciting assortment of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have many individuals battling for the high, as well as a few battling for the low. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.