Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha/8 begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players often get confused. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize exactly three cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same notion in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the lowest being made up of 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 five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complicated at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the base nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha High-Low provides an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals shooting for the high, as well as many trying for the low. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha/8.
