Poker Tips

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.

Omaha hi/low begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. After all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where some players can get flustered. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 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 strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same approach in just about every poker game.

A low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.

Although it seems complicated initially, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi low offers an amazing array of wagering choices and seeing that you have several players shooting for the high hand, along with many battling for the low hand. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha/8.