Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. 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 irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants often get flustered. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical concept in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest 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 just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.
Although it seems complicated at first, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to get the basic subtleties of play easily enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an exciting collection of betting options and owing to the fact that you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, and a few battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha hi/low.
