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Omaha Hi-Low: Basic Overview

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so rapidly.

Omaha hi lo begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering ensues and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where some entrants often get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

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

A low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t 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 below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.

Although it seems complex at first, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to get the basic subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an amazing assortment of wagering 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 considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.

 

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