Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A sequence of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players get baffled. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.
While it seems complex at the start, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an amazing collection of wagering options and because you have many players shooting for the high hand, along with several trying for the low. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha Hi-Lo.
