Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players can get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same approach in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but really opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complicated initially, following a few hands you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an exciting array of wagering options and because you have numerous individuals shooting for the high hand, along with several battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.
