Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not 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 below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems complex at the start, following a few hands you will be agile enough to get the basic subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha hi lo provides an amazing assortment of betting options and seeing that you have numerous individuals shooting for the high hand, and several trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
