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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It’s 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 grown in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha hi low starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering ensues and then the river card is flipped. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants often get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same approach in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest 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 low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
While it seems complicated at first, after a few rounds you will be able to get the basic nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 provides an amazing array of wagering possibilities and because you have many individuals trying for the high hand, as well as many trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi low.
