Poker Strategy

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where some entrants get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

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

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

While it seems complicated initially, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of play simply enough. Seeing as 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 the same time, Omaha hi low offers an overwhelming collection of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, as well as several shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha hi-low.