Omaha Secrets

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where a number of entrants can get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same notion in nearly every poker game.

A lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.

Although it seems difficult at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi/low offers an overwhelming range of wagering choices and seeing that you have several individuals battling for the high hand, and many trying for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi/lo.