Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in nearly every poker game.
The lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem difficult at first, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the basic nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming assortment of wagering possibilities and because you have many players battling for the high, as well as several shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha Hi-Lo.
