Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but popular poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some players often get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in nearly all poker games.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem difficult at the start, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi low offers an exciting assortment of wagering possibilities and because you have several individuals battling for the high, as well as many battling for the low hand. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.
