Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting happens at which point 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 many entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same notion in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complex initially, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of play with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an amazing range of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have many individuals battling for the high, as well as a few shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.
