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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi-low starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in nearly all poker games.
The low hand is more difficult, but really free’s 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 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 lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
While it seems difficult at the start, following a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi/lo provides an exciting range of betting choices and because you have numerous individuals trying for the high hand, along with many trying for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.
