Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. Another round of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting happens at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players get flustered. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same notion in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
Although it seems complicated at the start, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to get the base subtleties of play with ease. Since you have individuals 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 provides an amazing array of wagering options and seeing that you have numerous individuals battling for the high, along with a few battling for the low. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha hi low.
