Omaha Hi Low: General Summary

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.

Omaha/8 starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of betting ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of betting happens. After all the players have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where some players get baffled. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in almost all poker games.

A low hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.

It may seem complex at first, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi-low provides an overwhelming range of wagering options and seeing that you have several individuals shooting for the high, as well as several battling for the low. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha hi/low.