Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored 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 invisible game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some players often get confused. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in almost every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems complicated initially, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of betting choices and because you have many players trying for the high hand, as well as many shooting for the low. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.
