Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi/lo starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants can get flustered. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same notion in just about all poker games.
The low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
While it seems complicated initially, after a few rounds you will be able to get the base subtleties of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an amazing assortment of betting options and owing to the fact that you have numerous players trying for the high, and several trying for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.
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