1 Jun 08

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It’s 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 irrelevant variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better begins like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. One more round of wagering happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where some entrants often get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical concept in almost every poker game.

A lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.

It may seem complicated at the start, following a few hands you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi-low provides an amazing collection of wagering options and because you have several individuals shooting 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 is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.