Poker Strategies

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.

Omaha Hi-Lo starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where some entrants get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same concept in just about every poker game.

A low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t 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 low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.

It may seem complicated at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming collection of wagering options and seeing that you have many players trying for the high, along with several trying for the low. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha/8.