Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants can get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical concept in just about all poker games.
A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
Although it seems complicated at the start, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting array of betting options and seeing that you have many players battling for the high, along with many battling for the low. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.
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