Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 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 just how it sounds. It is the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same concept in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.
While it seems complicated at the start, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the base nuances of the game with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming array of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, along with a few shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.
