Poker Online Poker Articles

Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. It's a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better begins like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few entrants can get baffled. Contrasted to Hold'em, where the board can be every player's hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It's the best possible hand out of every player's, it doesn't matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical approach in just about every poker game.

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

Although it seems complex initially, after a few hands you will be able to get the basic subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha Hi-Lo offers an exciting range of wagering choices and seeing that you have several individuals shooting for the high, as well as many battling for the low hand. 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 low.