Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering happens at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some players often get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize precisely three cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in nearly every poker game.
The lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t 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. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
While it seems complex at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an exciting collection of betting options and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals shooting for the high, along with a few trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
