Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players can get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no 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 is the strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical notion in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complicated at the start, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have individuals 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 or better offers an amazing collection of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several individuals battling for the high hand, along with many trying for the low hand. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha Hi-Lo.
