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 action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha hi lo begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize exactly three cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same approach in just about all poker games.
The low hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem difficult initially, after a few rounds you will be able to get the base subtleties of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an amazing range of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several players trying for the high, as well as several shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.
