Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha hi/low starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of betting ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many players get flustered. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in just about every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
Although it seems complex at the outset, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the base nuances of play easily enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/low offers an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous individuals trying for the high hand, along with many battling for the low. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.
