Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi lo starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many players can get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which 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 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical approach in almost all poker games.
A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not 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 five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
Although it seems difficult at the start, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming array of betting options and owing to the fact that you have many players trying for the high hand, as well as many shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
