Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but popular poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another round of wagering happens. Once all the players have either called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players often get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical approach in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, 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 lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
Although it seems difficult at the outset, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better provides an exciting array of betting options and seeing that you have several players shooting for the high hand, as well as several trying for the low. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.
