Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no 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 exactly how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same approach in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low 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 smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem difficult at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the base subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an exciting collection of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several players shooting for the high, and a few battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.