Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. After all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players get confused. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize exactly three cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same approach in almost every poker game.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as 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 just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the complete pot.
While it seems complex at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to get the base subtleties of play with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting assortment of betting choices and because you have numerous players battling for the high hand, as well as many shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.
