Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha Hi-Lo begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants often get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize exactly three cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same notion in nearly all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens 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 made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem difficult initially, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play simply enough. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming array of betting possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals trying for the high, along with a few trying for the low hand. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha hi low.
