Omaha

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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’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in popularity so quickly.

Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering happens and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few players get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in almost every poker game.

The low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because 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 smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.

Although it seems difficult at the outset, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an exciting array of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as several battling for the low hand. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.