Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha/8 begins like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting happens. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical approach in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems difficult at the start, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the basic nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals 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 offers an amazing range of betting possibilities and because you have many individuals trying for the high hand, and a few battling for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha Hi-Lo.
