Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi low starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of entrants can get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical approach in just about every poker game.
The lower 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 can be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complicated at the outset, after a few hands you will be able to get the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an exciting assortment of wagering choices and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals battling for the high, along with a few trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.
