Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering follows in which players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players can get confused. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical concept in almost every poker game.
The lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be made, 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 worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
Although it seems difficult at the start, following a few hands you will be agile enough to get the base subtleties of the game simply enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an exciting collection of wagering options and because you have several players shooting for the high hand, as well as many trying for the low hand. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha High-Low.
