Poker Secrets

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

Omaha hi/lo begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to make 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. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same approach in just about every poker game.

A low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.

It may seem difficult at first, after a couple of rounds you will be able to get the base subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/lo offers an overwhelming assortment of wagering options and because you have numerous players shooting for the high, as well as several trying for the low hand. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.