Omaha Hi-Lo: General Summary

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of betting ensues. After all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a few entrants can get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same concept in nearly all poker games.

A low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the entire pot.

It may seem complicated at the start, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/lo offers an exciting collection of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have numerous players battling for the high, along with several trying for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha Hi-Lo.


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