Omaha Strategy

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.

Omaha/8 starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where a few players can get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize exactly three cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same notion in nearly all poker games.

A low hand is more complicated, 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 could be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.

It may seem difficult at first, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming assortment of betting choices and because you have several individuals shooting for the high, along with several battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.