Poker Strategy

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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 is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has increased in popularity so quickly.

Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting ensues. After all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where a few entrants often get flustered. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same approach in just about every poker game.

A low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can 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 eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.

While it seems complex at the outset, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an exciting assortment of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several individuals battling for the high, as well as a few battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi low.