Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting follows where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same concept in just about all poker games.
The low hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s 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 made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complex at the start, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the fundamental subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an exciting range of betting possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, as well as several trying for the low hand. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha hi/lo.
