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 favored poker games. 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 game, has increased in popularity so quickly.

Omaha 8 or better starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a number of players can get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize exactly three cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

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

The lower hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand takes the whole pot.

Although it seems difficult at the outset, following a few rounds you will be able to get the basic subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better provides an exciting range of wagering options and seeing that you have many players shooting for the high hand, along with a few shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.