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 game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants can get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same notion in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be put together, 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 lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem complicated initially, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the basic nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals shooting for the high, and several battling for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha hi-low.
