Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering ensues and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players can get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize exactly three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in almost all poker games.
A low hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower 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 is no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem complicated at first, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an exciting range of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have several players shooting for the high hand, as well as a few shooting for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.
