Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of wagering ensues and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players can get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same approach in just about every poker game.
A lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest being made up of 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 8 and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
While it seems complex initially, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game easily enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming range of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have several individuals shooting for the high, and many shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.
