Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players get flustered. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same approach in just about every poker game.
The low 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 worst hand that might be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems complex at the outset, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an exciting range of wagering choices and because you have numerous individuals battling for the high, as well as a few battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
