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 complicated but popular poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in popularity so quickly.

Omaha/8 starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering follows where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few players get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same concept in nearly all poker games.

A lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.

It may seem difficult initially, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of play with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing range of betting choices and because you have many players battling for the high, along with several battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.