Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi lo begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many players often get baffled. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in just about all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem difficult at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game easily enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an exciting collection of wagering choices and seeing that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, and many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.
