Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but popular poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of betting ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting happens at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some players often get baffled. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same approach in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since 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 smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.
Although it seems complex at the start, following a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha High-Low offers an overwhelming collection of betting options and owing to the fact that you have many individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as several battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha hi/low.
