Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi low starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting follows where players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of entrants often get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in nearly every poker game.
The lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, 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 value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems complicated at first, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an amazing array of betting options and owing to the fact that you have several players shooting for the high hand, as well as several shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.