Omaha Secrets

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha Hi-Lo begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. Another round of betting happens. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where many entrants get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical concept in nearly every poker game.

A low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.

While it seems complicated at first, following a few hands you will be agile enough to get the base nuances of play easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an exciting array of betting options and because you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, and many battling for the low. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.