Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants can get flustered. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical concept in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest value being made up of 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 eight and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems complex at the outset, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 provides an exciting array of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have numerous players shooting for the high, along with several trying for the low hand. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.
