Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of betting follows where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting follows at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players can get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might 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. It is the identical concept in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
Although it seems complicated at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming assortment of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have several individuals battling for the high, as well as a few battling for the low. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha Hi-Lo.