Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi/low starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in almost all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems difficult initially, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming assortment of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals battling for the high, as well as many battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi/lo.
