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 favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.

Omaha hi lo starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting happens. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many entrants often get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same notion in just about every poker game.

A low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.

Although it seems difficult initially, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of betting possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals battling for the high hand, and a few shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.