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Is there a difference between high/low split and 8 or better?

[/ QUOTE ]GiantWalleye - Yes. One way to play high/low split is as an eight or better for low game. Another way to play high/low split is with a declaration for high, low, or both.

Back when I started playing poker, Texas hold 'em and Omaha were unknown, at least to us. But Seven-stud high low was in vogue. High low was decided by oral declaration, with the declaration going around the table starting to the dealer's left, and ending with the dealer. (What a huge and obvious advantage that was to the dealer!)

But that was all we knew.

Then someone introduced simultaneous declarations with chips. Everybody would clench some designated number of chips in one fist and hold that one fist in the center of the table - one chip for low, two for high, three for both. Then that became none for low, one for high, anything else for both.

In our weekly private dealer's choice game we still sometimes play high low games with declarations (using chips). Other times we play high low games with a specified requirement (usually 8 or better) for low - and with no declaration.

Omaha high/low can be played with a declaration for high, low or both, and with no requirement for low. Or Omaha high/low can be played with a requirement of eight or better for low.

I suppose you could have a declaration and also a requirement for low, but it's usually either one or the other.

I've played the game with a chip declaration for high or low. But casinos all deal it with a requirement of eight or better for low. Thus in a casino, Omaha-8 and Omaha high/low are identical. But that's not necessarily true in a private home game.

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