Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of entrants often get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card 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 exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same approach in nearly all poker games.
The low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because 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 wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems complex at first, following a few hands you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better provides an amazing range of betting options and seeing that you have several individuals battling for the high, and a few trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha/8.
