Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi low starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants get baffled. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical concept in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
Although it seems complex at first, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha Hi-Lo offers an overwhelming range of wagering choices and because you have many players shooting for the high hand, along with a few trying for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.
